Why it’s important to be safe online

Safety first! Just like in real life, you have to take a bit of care when you interact with others online. Here are some SMART tips for being safe online. Safe: Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you’re chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number and password. Meet: Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then, only when they can be present. Remember, online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time. Accepting: Accepting emails, messages, or opening files, images or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages! Reliable: Someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Ask your parents to help you check information by looking them up in multiple places. Tell: Tell a parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone, or something, makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online. #SaferInternetDay2020 #FreeToBeMe