Online Safety - a guide for children and young people

If you are worried about yourself or a friend then tell a TRUSTED ADULT straight away. This could be someone in family, or someone you trust - maybe a school teacher. They will know what to do and how to help you.

If you need someone to talk to you can call ChildLine on 0800 1111 – 24 Hour Line.

If you are in immediate danger please call the police on 999 straight away.

You can find useful advice about staying safe on a phone, tablet or computer for all ages 

Follow these SMART rules: 5 top tips to stay safe online!

Safe: Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you’re chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number and password.

Meet:

Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then only when they can be present. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.

Accepting:

Accepting emails, IM messages, or opening files, images or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages!

Reliable:

Someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Always check information by looking at other websites, in books, or with someone who knows. If you like chatting online it’s best to only chat to your real world friends and family.

Tell:

Tell a parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone, or something, makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.