The Internet is a fun and amazing place to communicate with others and learn new things.  Like all communities, there are also areas that are dangerous for young people. 

This means you must be careful and know the dangers.

SAFETY TIPS:

• Never post your personal information, such as your cell number, address, the name of your school or school team.
• Be careful about posting identity-revealing photos and do not use sexually provocative photos.
• Report anyone you don’t know asking for personal information, photos or videos.
• Just because a website seems OK doesn’t mean that it is what it seems to be.  Anyone-including creeps and criminals-can set up their own website.
• Don’t download anything unless it is from a trusted source.
• Stay away from chatrooms that discuss sex, cults and dangerous activities.
• You may want to get together with someone you met in a chatroom, but remember-people are not always who they seem to be.  Never give out personal information and never arrange face-to-face meetings with someone you first meet in a chatroom unless your parents/guardians check it out first.
• Avoid private chatroom areas.
• Avoid harassment in chatrooms by using a name that doesn’t let people know that you are female.
• Be careful about replying to email from people you don’t know. Remember, the sender may not be who he or she seems to be.
• Posting information about friends could put them at risk, so do not do it.
• Remember what you post online is not private and anyone can see it.

Tell an adult if you get weird messages. Use the CyperTipline to report concerns, especially those that are sexual in nature:  Reports may be made 24-hours per day, 7 days per week online at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678.