Safer Internet Day Tip #5

It is easy to get caught up in emotional thoughts and feelings when in the middle of an ‘animated discussion’ or argument. 

Take your Time! Think before acting; remain calm, thoughtful and deliberative.

If you write an email, txt or message to someone that is nasty or deliberately negative, think before your click SEND!  Read what you have written, go away and come back later when you have calmed down a little.  Read it again and think about the ramifications and consequences.  Better still, pick up the phone or go and see the person.  You can’t take back a message, and it can be used against you in the future.  If someone has sent something nasty to you, become more mature than them and decline to respond.  They may in fact apologise to you at a later date.

Today's message is a very good reminder for both students and adults - face to face communication can often resolve or even avoid problems and issues that may result from written electronic communication.

Safer Internet Day Tip #4

Don’t believe everything you see or read on the internet.  Just because it appears on a website doesn’t make it true.  Likewise, just because a few people are circulating gossip about someone you know, it doesn’t mean that information is true.  Don’t perpetuate gossip, innuendo or tales – break the cycle.  Challenge all that you see and read, and don’t rely on one information source when gathering information from the internet.

Safer Internet Day Tip #3

If anyone online says anything inappropriate to you or about you, harasses you, or sends you unwanted messages, tell a trusted adult immediately.  You need to know that you can trust your parents, relatives and teachers to help you.  It is very easy to be nasty online because there is a sense of anonymity. 

Safer Internet Day Tip #2

It is important to remember that people are often not who they say they are online. Although it is very difficult to know whether someone is an online predator, scammer or bully, there's one simple rule for making sure that friends on the Internet are NOT dangerous: do not talk to people online unless you've met them in person first!  There have been many cases when an online ‘friend’ has said they are a fourteen year old boy or girl when in fact it is an adult man seeking vulnerable children.  Never give away personal information, including your address, DOB, school and when you will and won’t be somewhere.  Protect yourself by protecting your information.

Safer Internet Day

Today is Safer Internet Day - a day to promote safe online activity for our children and students.  Each day this week Mr Jorgensen will be sharing tips on how to make your online experience a little safer and more enjoyable.

Tip #1 - Don’t give you password out to anyone, including your best friends and your siblings.  Only you and/or your parents should know your password.  Try changing your password regularly, like every 6 months or so.  A combination of digits, lower case and upper case letters is desirable.

Have a great day and stay safe on the internet.