Heads-up on Internet Safety

Dear students,

Although the Internet can be an excellent resource for sharing ideas, obtaining information, and socializing with peers, it can also be a dangerous place, which can potentially cause you harm if you are not safe. Here are some tips that will help to keep you out of harm’s way while surfing the web. 

1.     Do not share your passwords with others, even if it’s with your best friend. Friendships can change and, regardless, you don’t want anyone to imitate you online. Passwords exist for a reason: to protect you! So try to choose a password that is difficult for others to guess but simple for you to remember. Here is a link to help you create a secure password.

2.     When interacting with others on the Internet, be sure to always remember the Golden Rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. So be nice! Kindness can go a long way…

3.     Be careful about what you choose to post online. Posting suggestive photographs and private information can get you into big trouble and can be used against you in the future.

4.     At all costs, do not react to cyberbullying. The purpose of bullying is to provoke a reaction from you. Reacting to bullies only causes the situation to escalate. Don’t give a bully that power. Here are some tips for bringing an end to cyberbullying:

a.     Ignore, block or report the bully. If a bully does not get the reaction from you that they want, they will usually just become bored and stop.

b.     Reach out to a friend, parent, or teacher for help. It’s not tattling. You need to look out for yourself.

c.      Be sure to save the evidence of bullying. Even if the bullying is insignificant at first, it’s always useful to have a record of the bullying in case it escalates.

d.     Be a good friend. If someone you know is being cyberbullied, help them by reporting the bullying.

e.     Finally, don’t BE a bully! It’s really not cool.