Advice on surfing safely

Let's see what's out there...

There is a whole world to be discovered online but it is really important you surf safely.

Stay as streetwise online as you would be outside.

1/ It's a good idea not to give out your personal details online, in social networking sites or IM because you can never be sure who you are talking to.

It could be someone else your age but it could also be an adult who is trying to trick you or hurt you.

Personal details include: your real name, your age, your phone number, where you live and where you go to school, your passwords and your email address.

2/ It's a good idea to use a nickname when signing on to sites. Sometimes sites will want information from you before you can sign in. Always check how this will be used and ask your parents and carers if this is ok.

Using a nickname means if someone makes you feel uncomfortable, they will never know who you are and cannot trace you.

Even if someone tells you about themselves, never reveal any personal details about yourself, This means if you don't want to hear from a person again, all you have to do is log out.

The internet lets people pretend to be lots of things they aren't really. Sometimes this can be fun - but it can also be dangerous.

If an adult pretends to be a child it could be because they want to meet you, and it could even be that they want to hurt you.

3/ If you publish a picture or a video online, anyone can share it, change it and remember, they can end up on computers on the other side of the world. Think carefully before publishing pictures of yourself, your family or even your mates.

It can be easy to find out information about someone from a picture or video if, for example, the area around is easily recognisable or if there's a street sign or the name of a school.

If you're going to put a picture of yourself, make sure it isn't too provocative and that it's not going to embarrass you later.

4/ We think meeting offline someone you met online is a very bad idea as you don't ever really know who you are talking to on the internet.

If you really want to meet someone you have contacted in a chat room, make sure you take along an adult and meet in a public place.

You should expect them to do the same as they don't know who you are either.

Remember, it's never too late to tell someone if you feel uncomfortable about anything. If you are worried or unsure but don't want to talk to an adult you know, call ChildLine on 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk

5/ If someone sends nasty or rude messages, don't answer them. If you reply, then they might send more.

If you feel uncomfortable or unhappy about the way a conversation is going, save a copy of it and stop the conversation. Then you can show it to someone you trust and see what they think.

6/ Remember to act responsibly and think before you make a comment about someone else. It might be hurtful and you should understand that once you make a comment online, you might not be able to take it back.

7/ Know what to do if you come across images or content that upset you or you think are wrong.

There are people who can help and sites where you or your parent or carer can report content or a conversation which you think are wrong.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, CEOP, www.ceop.gov.uk is where you can report abuse or contact from someone that makes you feel uncomfortable.

The Internet Watch Foundation, IWF, www.iwf.org.uk is where you can report illegal content or images.

Remember that you can call ChildLine 0800 1111 if you want to talk about anything that worries you.

8/ Attachments can ruin your computer. They can store viruses that can cause all sorts of damage to your PC or images that might upset you.

If you don't know who an attachment is from, don't open it.

9/ You may be curious but adult sites are really not worth the hassle. They can be really hard to close down; they can cost a lot of money and show up on the phone bill.

What's more, the owners can work out your email address and start sending you spam that you really don't want.

10/ Make sure you're just as careful if you access the internet from a mobile phone or game consoles. Only give your mobile number to trusted friends to avoid unwanted calls and texts from strangers or bullies. Think before you share pictures and images as you know they go around fast and.mind your phone bill!

Here are some other sites you could look at for more info:

www.nch.org.uk/itok - Loads about internet safety from the NCH charity.

www.fkbko.net - A site about chatrooms and why you need to be careful when you are online. You can also get involved in making the site better, based on your experiences on the web.

www.kidsmart.org.uk/pupils - An internet safety site produced by Childnet for schools with loads of useful info, an interactive quiz and games for pupils too.

www.websafecrackerz.com - MSN run site with loads of games, interactive quizzes and prizes to help you understand more about internet safety.

www.thinkuknow.com - This is part of CEOP and contains loads of information on internet safety and safe surfing for young people.