Keeping Safe Online

• Never reveal ANY personal details that would allow someone to contact you outside the chat room.
• Always stay in the public area of a chat room, where everyone can see the conversation, and where you should be safer.
• NEVER arrange to meet anyone you have met over the Internet.
• If you do meet an online friend, always take an adult with you and meet in a public place.
• Remember, everyone you meet in a chat room is a stranger, even though they might seem like a friend.

Note to Parents and Carers

Talk to your child about their Internet use and take an interest. Your involvement is the best way of keeping them safe.

Pass on the safety advice.

Be positive! The Internet is a fantastic resource for learning, entertainment and communication. Just like in the real world, you need to take a few sensible precautions.

Let your child know they can come to you if something they don’t like happens online. Try not to overreact! This could simply make your child secretive about their Internet use and close down lines of communication between you.

Remember that all the safety advice here also applies to going online with a mobile phone.

If you decide to use software to filter or monitor information from the Internet, talk this over with your child. Any ground rules you agree will be much more effective.