The internet is a brilliant invention, and really has transformed our lives. However, in order to be a Digital Citizen, it’s important to know how to use it safely.
Top Tips for Staying Safe Online
Access to our friends and family, finding information and managing our money can all be done online, but what can we do to keep ourselves, our information and our privacy online?
- Don’t share your personal details - People can find a lot of information about you from the smallest little detail, so make sure you aren’t showing anything that you don’t want people to know about you. Things like your address, phone number, full name and date of birth should be kept private. You can check what people can see in the privacy settings of your phone and the apps that you use.
- Keep your device secure - Having a password or code can help to keep your phone or device safe, so that nobody can use it without your permission. You should pick a password that is easy for you to remember.
- Think before you post - Don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want your parents, carers, teachers or future employers to see. Once you post something online, you lose control of it. Would you be happy for someone to screenshot, save your post or share it? What message are you sending to the people that are reading it?
- Never give out your password or security details - To keep all of your information safe, you should never give any of your passwords of security information to other people. Set strong, easy to remember passwords that include letters, capitals, numbers and symbols, so that they are hard for people to guess and access your information
- Think about who you are talking to - There are lots of methods that people will use to try and trick you into trusting them when you are online. Even if you like and trust someone that you have met online, never share any personal information like your full name, your school or your email address with them. Ensure that you have covered your webcam when it’s not being used so that it can’t be used remotely. Never click emails or messages that are sent by people asking you to confirm your log in or for you to share your details, they are not always genuine.
Blogs
Online Presence - The internet can bring us closer together, but have you ever thought about what information you share online too? This blog will help you to consider what your digital presence says about you.
Coming soon
Useful Links
Check out these links for further information about eSafety and Digital Literacy.