How You Can ‘Stay Safe and Be Kind Online’ This Safer Internet Day

Because we all need a reminder every now and then to stay safe on the internet.

Happy Safer Internet Day!

Isn't the internet a wondrous place? There are hilarious memes, how-to videos for just about anything and viral trends as far as your fingers can scroll. 

But, as much as we love the world wide web, there are also a bunch of things that can go wrong online.

So, to mark Safer Internet Day this year, we thought we'd share some info on what to look out for and how to stay safe so the internet can continue to be that epic place we all love.

Cyberbullying

You probably already know that cyberbullying is when someone uses technology to intentionally hurt or intimidate another person. It can look like hurtful messages, spreading nasty rumours about someone, sharing photos of someone to make fun of them or even creating fake accounts in someone’s name to trick people.

But did you know that, according to the Australian eSafety website, one in five young people have been bullied online?

It’s a horrific statistic, but we can all work together to change it by thinking about what we post to ensure it's respectful, and reporting any harmful content to the platform on which it's posted.

Catfishing

Catfishing is when someone pretends to be someone they’re not by using social media to create a false identity. Usually they will do this to defraud or scam someone to get money or gifts.

Always trust your instincts and, if it sounds too good to be true, you're probably right.

Simple Things You Can Do to Stay Safe Online

It's not all doom and gloom online! There are plenty of really easy things to do to stay safe.

In fact, Kids Helpline has a bunch of suggestions to protect yourself in the wild, wild world of the internet.

• Only accept ‘friend requests from people you know IRL.
• If someone online made you feel unsafe or gave you negative vibes, block them so they can’t contact you again.
• See those mysterious emails or suspicious links? Yeah, don’t open them.
• Be mindful of the photos you upload and share, as well as what you write to others.
• When was the last time you checked your privacy settings? Go do that to make sure your account is secure, and avoid sharing personal information online.
• We know you need your location turned on to get your dinner delivered, but remember to turn those settings off when you're not using them.
• Raise your voice when you see something online that isn't respectful. You can make anonymous reports to social media sites asking them to remove the content, or even report it to the eSafety commissioner or the Police.

Just be safe, be respectful and be kind online, friends, and we'll all have a good time.

If you or anyone you know needs help, support is available now. Call Lifeline on 131 114 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.

Visit ReachOut to get support to help you with everything from everyday issues through to tough times. 

Header Image: Canva.