ROdown Blog
Safer Internet Day 2010: ‘Think before you post’
Ever had an experience like in the YouTube clip above? It’s likely that you’ve heard of someone who’s had an experience online where they’ve shared something that they’ve regretted later. You may have even had such an experience yourself.
At Reach Out we love the internet. Obviously! That’s where we live and breathe and connect with you guys.
We know that it’s possible to have a lot of fun online – creating, consuming, sharing, commenting and connecting with others. We also know that it’s possible to take some pretty simple steps to stay as safe as possible.
That’s what Safer Internet Day (which is today!) is all about – raising awareness about ‘the safe and responsible use of new technologies’.
Think before you post
‘Think before you post’ is this year’s Safer Internet Day theme. It’s a pretty important internet safety reminder for all of us, and applies to both our use of the internet and mobiles.
The idea of the theme is to encourage people to think about how what they share online and via mobile phone can have an impact on themselves and on others as well.
The Cybersmart website provides easy-to-recall tips which detail some of the most important points. These include:
- Think before you hit send or post. Once something is posted, it can be online forever.
- Don't post anything you don't want others to know—or that you wouldn’t say to them face to face. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
- Remember that private images and videos you send or post on a social networking site may be easily passed on to others and uploaded to public sites. Once they’re up, it’s almost impossible to remove them completely.
- Respect other people’s content and be aware that if you post or share their content it might breach copyright laws. For example, a photo that your friend took is their property, not yours. You can only post it online if you have their permission.
- Keep your personal information private. Don’t share personal details like your name, address or school with people you don’t already know in real life.
- If you plan to send private information to anyone using your mobile phone, talk to a trusted adult before you send. Be cautious.
Check out the Reach Out Safe chat over the internet and Cyberbullying fact sheets for more info about how to stay safe online and how to get help if you need it.
How do you stay safe online?
I’m imagining (and hoping!) that you’ve probably heard a lot of these tips before.
What works for you? Do you have any other tips to add, or stories from friends about how they’ve managed tricky (and potentially unsafe) situations online?
Let us know in the comments box below!
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3 Comments
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anna
7 months ago
Reply Reportok - so I'll start :)
Whenever I upload photos on facebook or update on twitter or fb I always do a little mental check as to whether or not I'm happy with what I'm sharing.
Especially if I'm feeling angry or hurt - I tend to self-censor so I don't regret sharing something later. Or so I don't hurt others in the process.
My 2 cents :)
McLeod
7 months ago
Reply ReportAgreeing with you there Anna :)
I always check photos before I upload.
I also dont like to status if I'm feeling sad, angry etc. Certain people don't need to know this. :P
Stay Safe all my Cyber Buddies!
Porcelain
7 months ago
Reply ReportThats a smart thing to post up or blog up.