Online safety
The internet can be a wonderful way to communicate with your friends, share common interests and find useful information. However, the internet is also a place of various dangers. Crimes committed in virtual reality can be as damaging as crimes committed in person. Thus, it is important to know how to recognize these dangers and protect yourself against them.
Stalking is when someone wants to stay in contact with you in an unpleasant, intimidating or intrusive way. A stalker may be someone who you know or might not know.
Stalking may include:
- Writing repetitive, insistent messages or e-mails
- Following you online
- Threats, intimidation, insults
Sexting is sending sexually explicit messages or photographs.
Why you should not sext:
- Sexually explicit messages and photographs are private, but there is no guarantee that they will remain private if they are sent to someone
- Messages and photographs may be published
- You will be unable to delete a message or photograph once it is sent
- Someone might use your messages or photographs in order to make fun of you or blackmail you – require something from you in exchange for the return of your photographs or promise to not publish them
Online bullying can be as hurtful as bullying in person. Bullying may occur in online forums, social networks and messaging applications. When someone is bullying you, you may feel extreme anxiety, anger, fear, sadness and the feeling of loneliness.
Bullying can include:
- Sending insulting, humiliating, threatening messages or letters, name-calling
- Spreading rumours and fake stories about you in forums and social networks
- Pretending to be you, writing messages in your name
- Sending insulting images to you or publishing of your photographs
- Online stalking, sending insistent messages
Personal information. Do not provide any personal information without the consent of your parents. This means that you should not share your surname, home address, name of your school or your telephone number. Remember that you do not have to tell everything about yourself just because someone asked you to.
Username. When creating a username, do not use any personal information such as your surname or date of birth.
Passwords. Do not share your passwords with anyone except your parents. When using a public computer, make sure that you have logged off from all the accounts that you were connected to.
Photos. Do not publish your photos or videos online if your parents would not advise you to do so. If you are unsure, talk to them and discuss whether a photo or video is suitable to be made public.
Relationships. Never go meet up with a person whom you met online alone without informing your parents and without receiving their consent. Remember that not everything that people tell on the internet about themselves is necessarily true.
Downloading. Do not download suspicious attachments in your e-mail messages or messaging applications. Talk to your parents if you are unsure. Never open attachments sent by strangers.
Buying. Never buy anything online without first talking to your parents. Some advertisements may lure you with cheap offers, even though in reality they are only trying to obtain your personal information.
Communication. Never send or reply to rude and insulting messages. If you received a threatening message, warn your parents or talk about it to an adult whom you trust, for example, your teacher.
More useful information: http://www.safekids.com/kids-rules-for-online-safety/
