Loads of people enjoy accessing the Internet, but it’s worth remembering to keep safe while in cyberspace. You might know loads about the Internet but it’s worth bearing a few things in mind.

Many of us now enjoy access to the web via a computer at home, work, school or even on your mobile phone. It’s important to think about what kind of information you give out, and keep to yourself in what you say and do.

• Never give out any personal information such as your home address, phone number, or school to anyone you talk to online, even if you are offered free samples, gifts or information.
• If you have your own website or pages on social networking sites such as MySpace or Bebo, remember that these are public sites and anyone can see them. So..
• Always think carefully about what you put on your site, especially photos. Instead of putting up a picture of yourself you could draw an image, or upload something a bit abstract to protect your identity.
• Remeber that people who contact you may not be who they say they are. Anyone can say that they share your interests and are the same age…but not everyone is as they seem.
• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting on your own with anyone you’ve met on the Internet. If they want to meet you, tell your parents/guardians and friends. If you still decide to go ahead and meet up, choose a busy public place and take someone with you.
• Don’t respond to threatening or obscene messages. No matter how irritating or rude they are – tell your parents/guardians, block the individual and report them to the site and/or CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection).
• Be careful if you receive an email message from someone you don’t know. It could contain a virus at the very least, which can mess up your computer.

Adapted from youngscot.org with permission

The team at ThinkUKnow offer great advice and resources on this subject too.  They have split their website up into categories – 5-7; 8-10 and 11-16.

Come in to find the latest information on the sites you like to visit, mobiles and new technology. Find out what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it. If you look after young people there’s an area for you too – with resources you can use in the classroom, at home or just to get with it. Most importantly, there’s also a place which anyone can use to report if they feel uncomfortable or worried about someone they are chatting to online. All the information here is brought to you by the team at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre. We hope you like it!

The ‘Click Clever Click Safe’ code is a list of three simple things to remember when you’re online:

• Zip it
• Block it
• Flag it

They offer this advice:

Zip It

When you’re online, always keep your personal stuff private and think about what you say and do.

Remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.

Don’t share personal information online. This includes:

• your full name
• photos
• addresses
• school information
• telephone numbers
• places you like to spend time

Make sure you have set your privacy settings to restrict access to personal information.

When you use chat rooms or instant messenger, use a nickname instead of your real name.

To stop people accessing your online accounts, always keep your passwords secret and change them regularly.

Block it

Think about blocking people who send you nasty messages and don’t open unknown links and attachments.

Always delete emails from people you don’t know, and don’t open attachments from people you don’t know. They might be nasty or contain a virus that can stop your computer working.

If someone is mean or sends nasty messages online, block them.

Flag it

If you see anything that upsets you online or if someone asks to meet you, flag it up with someone you trust.

If you are worried or unhappy about anything you see online, tell a parent or an adult you trust and they can help you. If you want to talk to someone else, you can call Childline on 0800 1111

If a friend you have made online asks to meet you in the offline world, talk to your parents or a trusted adult about it. You should never meet up with someone you have met online without an adult going with you because it is dangerous.

If someone you know is being nasty to someone online, speak to a parent or trusted adult about it.

All images and content have been used with permission.

Copyright remains with the original creator