Children growing up today have a vast amount of resources available to them. The internet has
brought access to so many different ways of communicating, playing online games, searching for
information, sharing stories and watching videos. How we socialise is changing too. More often, we
now talk to each other over the web and complain when the broadband connection is not fast
enough.
But with all the fantastic benefits the internet brings, there is always the chance of it being misused
and for people to become distressed or upset by what they see or what is sent to them.
For this reason it is important to keep yourself safe online and to remember some important points
when it comes to cyber safety. These include…..
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Make sure to keep your social media accounts private in order to avoid unwanted
interaction online
Don’t put up with anything online that you wouldn’t accept in real life
Do not engage with any threatening or abusive behaviours online and immediately report
any such behaviour to a trusted adult and decide if you want to report this further.
Don’t feel under pressure to accept friend requests or connect with anyone online if you do
not feel comfortable doing so.
Remember this general rule – Do not accept friendship requests from anyone you would not
feel comfortable inviting to your birthday party.
Remember that cyber bullying can take many forms. It is never ok for you to feel intimidated
by online interactions
In order to protect yourself it is important that you have a trusted adult with whom you feel
comfortable discussing your online interactions.
Make positive rules with your parent/guardian as to what you will do if you ever experience
bullying or inappropriate communication online.
Be careful not to discuss or disclose any personal information online
If somebody posts an image of you that you are unhappy with and refuses to remove it, you
can report this concern to the social media site. Remember to let your parent/guardian
know as they may be able to help you too.