Staying Safe Online

Back to Table of Contents

Stay Safe

BEWARE OF ONLINE DANGERS

The Internet has changed our world. Most girls your age are great with computers. Chat sites, social networking sites, blogs...they’re all pretty cool places to visit in cyberspace. Who wouldn’t be tempted to spend time in a new hot site where you can share opinions and music fi les and communicate with interesting new friends?

The problem is that as wonderful as the Internet is, it’s just a reflection of society, the good and the bad. You may have heard this before, but it’s worth repeating the message.

The Internet isn’t as safe or anonymous as you might think. In fact, it can be dangerous.

We all love photos and share them with safe and trusted friends and family online or through text messages. But with all of these social media tools and our smartphone gadgets, let’s keep things smart and real.

REMEMBER THAT EVERYTHING YOU SAY AND POST ONLINE CAN BECOME PERMANENT AND PUBLIC!

Know the environment and be smart about what images and videos are posted online. Whatever is shared electronically
may/can be seen and shared by many people, including people you don’t know.

Check out Cyber Safe Girl for more information about how girls like you can be safe online.

Also check out textED.ca an interactive website designed to teach Canadian teens how to be safe, responsible and respectful users of texting technologies.

Sometimes, people have posted harmful pictures on the Internet or girls have been exploited online.

If there are hurtful pictures on the Internet that you want taken down, www.NeedHelpNow.ca can provide help on how to get through it, including the steps that can be taken to remove content from the Internet.

  • NEVER give personal information to anyone you have not met in person.
  • NEVER agree to meet someone you have met only online.
  • Choose your screen name carefully.”Hottie 100” might be a no-no...something simpler is better. And keep in mind, you would never talk to a stranger on the street, so be just as careful of who you’re letting onto the screen in your bedroom!

Here are some sites where you can have some fun while learning about Internet safety: