Kids like you have a lot going on - between school, home, friends, sports, and activities. Spending time online can be a welcome break from all you have going on! Many kids spend time gaming (or watching others game), sharing pics on social media, watching favorite videos with comedians, animals, cartoons, celebrities, influencers and so much more. There are so many options.
Online entertainment and social time are great! But we also know that too much time online, and some of the things you might see can be stressful. At times you may find yourself in some pretty uncomfortable situations.
We created this page to give you some tips so you can continue to have fun while keeping your time online safe!
Why? It might not be another kid! Strangers online sometimes pretend to be a young person. They may start with casual conversation and over time they gain your trust. They may ask for your photo, ask where you live, and where you go to school; they may want to know who your friends are, and even ask for your passwords! These are red flags! They could be an online predator.
It can be confusing because online predators hide their identities. They may try to meet up in person or they may keep getting you to send them more pictures or videos. Don’t let them trick you! You have a choice not to friend them. Use your power to be smart and stay safe.
If anything or anyone online makes you feel even a little upset or uncomfortable, exit the chat immediately and TELL YOUR PARENT, YOUR TEACHER... TELL A TRUSTED ADULT.
Here are SMART CHOICES to keep YOU safe online. The rules below talk mostly about strangers, but sometimes the problem can be with an adult or a child that you do know in real life. No matter who it is, if someone is making you uncomfortable - tell a trusted adult.
Here are two real-life stories from Ryan and Noah about the scary situations they found themselves in online.
If you have a problem with someone online, you also can report it to the website of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Talk to your trusted adult and they can help fill out a form for reporting something inappropriate through the CyberTipline. They’ll make sure the info is forwarded to law enforcement officials for investigation.
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