- Be open with your parents
- Remember that your parents’ primary goal is to keep you safe.
- Letting them know what you are doing builds trust, which eventually means more freedom.
- Share your account information with your parents, and make sure to talk about your online experiences often.
- Don’t worry about mistakes or accidents
- Everyone makes mistakes, but the key is to learn from those mistakes.
- If you accidentally find something that is inappropriate make sure you tell an adult.
- Attempting to act like it never happened can sometimes make you look guilty!
- Share your favorite online activities with your parents
- Teach your parents about your favorite apps, games, and websites.
- If you can show them that something is safe and fun they’re more likely to approve.
- By sharing an experience together you can show them what is important to you!
- Tell your parents about any people that you’ve met online, especially people you talk to often
- Try to focus on being friends online with people you know in real life.
- If you do have an online-only friend, make sure your parents know about them.
- Talk about what information is OK to share and what is not.
- Work with your parents to create technology rules for the whole family
- Every family needs a set of rules or guidelines for technology.
- Everyone should help to make the rules, but remember that your parents have the last word.
- Sometimes parents can’t see something from your perspective, so help them by talking about it!
- Keep all of your personal and private information offline
- Private information, like your address, phone number, and birth date, should never be discussed.
- Personal information, like hobbies, friends, and school activities, should only be discussed with people you know in real life.
- General topics about games, movies, and current events should be safe, but always trust your instincts.
- Learn as much about the technology that you use as you can
- Technology is an awesome resource, and it makes us more successful to know how to use it.
- Becoming an expert with your devices and apps can keep you safe by teaching you exactly how everything works.
- Remember, just because something seems safe doesn’t mean that it is. Always check with your parents!
- Always use your privacy setting while you’re online
- Privacy settings are there for a reason, so make sure you use them.
- Choose who you share your content with wisely.
- Sharing something publicly allows everyone in the world to see it, so always think before you post.
- Always tell someone if you see cyberbullying, especially if you’re the one being bullied
- Cyberbullying is an issue that many students have to face.
- Teachers and Counselors are trained to help you, so always tell them if this is happening.
- Speak up for those who might be scared or embarrassed to speak for themselves. We all need a little help sometimes!
- Be a good digital role model
- Being responsible online isn’t just good for you, but everyone who sees you.
- Classmates, siblings, and others might learn how to be safe from watching your actions.
- Take pride in using your skills to be a good digital citizen.
