How To Be Safe on the Internet

Use the following tips to stay safe on the Internet:

1. Remember not to provide personal information like your address, telephone number or school name to anyone unless you know the person well.
2. If you meet bad people or see inappropriate things, just stop looking at it, and tell your parents or teachers right away.
3. While in chat rooms, remember that people may misrepresent who they are. In chat rooms, people often disguise themselves.
4. If someone harasses you online, says anything that is inappropriate, or does anything that makes you uncomfortable, immediately contact your Internet Service Provider.
5. Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have rules about online behavior. If you disobey an ISP's rules, then your ISP may disable your account, and sometimes every account in a household temporarily or permanently.
6. Consider volunteering at your local library or school to help newbies online. Many schools and nonprofit organizations remain in need of people to help them set up their computers and Internet.
7. A friend you meet online may not be the best person to talk to if you are having problems at home, with your friends, or at school.
8. If you are planning to run away, an online friend may not be the best person to talk to. If there is an adult in your community, he/she is more likely to give you honest, useful answers to some of your questions about what to do when you are abused, depressed, or thinking about running away.
9. Do not keep your Internet friends private. Always tell your parents about the people you meet or talk to on the Internet. Sometimes your Internet friends ask you to meet. Never meet with an Internet friend unless your parents go with you. Do ask your parents to spend some time with you so that they remain aware of the sites you like to visit.
10. Always show good manners and be polite when you are using the Internet and e-mail or chat. Do not abuse or harass others. Follow copyright rules and do not break them by taking words, pictures or sound from someone else's web site without his permission.
11. Do not send pics. Do not send pictures of yourself or your family to anyone unless your parents say it's OK. Sometimes it may happen that you send your picture to someone with bad intent and he makes bad use of it.

Finally, to stay in good standing with your parents, it is best to only use the Internet when your parents tell you it's OK, and only for the time they allow you to use the Internet.