 | Best Practices for Kids |  |
Keep your personal information to yourself.
Information like your address, telephone number, or even where you go to school and what you do afterwards can lead to a dangerous situation down the road.
Never give out your picture or post it online.
Use a profile picture that doesn’t show your face so that strangers don’t know what you look like. Be careful sharing pictures online, via text or on social media. Make sure you are only sharing with friends you know in real life. Someone can learn a lot by looking at what is in a picture or what is in the background of a picture, so be sure to check that you aren’t giving away details about your personal life.
Always use a neutral screenname.
On sites where you can use a screenname, don’t use your real name or a name with real details about yourself. Don’t use names that reveal your age, sex, location, or other details.
Don’t give your password to anyone other than your parents.
Anyone that has access to your accounts can misuse them or even lock you out of them. If you think someone has access to your account other than you or your parents, change your password.
Don’t trust everyone you meet online.
Some people are not who they say they are. Be careful when communicating with people you don’t know in real life; they could claim to be a kid like you and really be an adult! If you don’t know who someone in person, don’t give them information about yourself.
If you come across anything that makes you uncomfortable, tell your parents.
This includes pictures, messages, or anything else that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Ask your parents before meeting an online buddy in person.
Meeting an online buddy in person is risky. If your parents agree to the meeting, be sure to meet in a public place and bring them with you.
Information like your address, telephone number, or even where you go to school and what you do afterwards can lead to a dangerous situation down the road.
Never give out your picture or post it online.
Use a profile picture that doesn’t show your face so that strangers don’t know what you look like. Be careful sharing pictures online, via text or on social media. Make sure you are only sharing with friends you know in real life. Someone can learn a lot by looking at what is in a picture or what is in the background of a picture, so be sure to check that you aren’t giving away details about your personal life.
Always use a neutral screenname.
On sites where you can use a screenname, don’t use your real name or a name with real details about yourself. Don’t use names that reveal your age, sex, location, or other details.
Don’t give your password to anyone other than your parents.
Anyone that has access to your accounts can misuse them or even lock you out of them. If you think someone has access to your account other than you or your parents, change your password.
Don’t trust everyone you meet online.
Some people are not who they say they are. Be careful when communicating with people you don’t know in real life; they could claim to be a kid like you and really be an adult! If you don’t know who someone in person, don’t give them information about yourself.
If you come across anything that makes you uncomfortable, tell your parents.
This includes pictures, messages, or anything else that makes you feel uncomfortable.
Ask your parents before meeting an online buddy in person.
Meeting an online buddy in person is risky. If your parents agree to the meeting, be sure to meet in a public place and bring them with you.