Safe surfing
Being webwise
There are a few golden rules that could make a big difference to staying safe and avoiding some of the problems.
- Don't give out any of your personal details - your full name, your address, your school, your phone number or your photo. Always use a nickname.
- Don't open emails or attachments unless you know who they are from. They may contain nasty messages, links to things you don't want to see or computer viruses.
Chatting
Talking to people online can be a great way to spend time. Sometimes it's much easier to deal with a problem when you can chat to some one online. So what do you need to know about chatting to make sure you get the best out of it?
- Be careful which message boards you use. Stick to the ones that have a clear rules about what can and can't be said, like the CBBC message boards.
- Remember you are in control. If you don't like what is being said - just stop chatting straight away.
- Keep your messages public. That means not switching to email to talk to some one, where the messages are private. It is much harder for people to hassle you if they have to do it in front of other people.
- Never arrange to meet anyone in person that you met on the net. But if you are going to, don't go alone. Take a couple of friends with you and meet in a very busy public place, like a shopping centre. Remember that people with bad intentions can be very determined to get what they want - they can spend months talking online to make you feel like they are your friend.
- If something happens that you don't like - tell some one about it.
The warning signs
There are a number of things to watch out for that may mean something is not right: Tell some one if:
- Some one you've met in a chatroom wants to meet up - Don't meet up. Tell the moderator of the chatroom what happened.
- You are asked for your personal details or a photo. Tell your parents or the chatroom moderator.
- You get an email that is rude or says nasty things.
- Some one you've met online wants you to keep a secret or not tell your parents.
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