Brief tips for children and young people
Schools can provide the following quick tips to children and young people in need of guidance on this issue. Alternatively, age appropriate information and resources are available from the Parents, Young kids, Kids and Teens sections of the website.
Tips for young people
When to think about blocking somebody or seeking help
Consider blocking an online contact or seeking help if:
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they make you feel uncomfortable at times because of the language they use, the information they seek, things they talk about or over-friendliness. Follow your gut instinct and cut them off—there are plenty more friends out there.
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you feel communicating with them is risky
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they are seeking a lot of personal information including contact details
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they are particularly interested in photos of you
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they are asking to meet you and keen to meet you alone without you informing anyone else
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they seem to want to be your closest friend
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they seem jealous of your other friends and/or try to dominate your time
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they send intimate or sexual messages or images
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they seem overly friendly and flattering compared with other online contacts.
Before adding a contact to your profile or agreeing to add someone to your chat list, ask yourself:
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Who are they really?
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How do I know them? Do I know them offline? Do any of my good friends or family know them offline?
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Are you sure they are who they claim to be?
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Do I want to be their friend?
Remember to be cautious with any new contacts you make online in the same way you would be when meeting people offline.
Managing unwanted contact
If someone’s behaviour online is making you feel uncomfortable or worried:
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tell them you feel uncomfortable and ask them to stop (they may not have realised what their behaviour was doing to you)
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save their details, including their username, the messages they have sent and the date and time they were sent
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block them if they continue
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report them to a teacher, parents, older sibling or other trusted adult.
Protect yourself by:
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choosing gender-neutral screen names that do not contain sexually explicit words or personal information
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using privacy settings to block access by strangers
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being respectful of friends’ personal information, including party details
- trusting your instincts and cutting off any suspect contacts that make you feel uncomfortable or ‘wrong’.