Think Before You Share.

What you do online has real-world consequences. The photos, videos, and messages you share affect you, your privacy, your reputation, and those of the people around you — now and in the future. Stop and think before you post.

What you share might affect others. It can be embarrassing, unfair, and even unsafe to send or post photos and videos without getting permission from the people in them. Get someone’s OK first. Before you post, ask them: “Are you okay if I post this on social?” If they say no, don’t post it.

Once you post something online, you can’t take it back. Even if you delete something you’ve posted — or the post expires — that photo or comment you don’t want people to see anymore could be saved, shared, and live somewhere online — permanently.

Politeness Counts.

When you can’t see someone’s facial expressions, body language, or other visual cues online, you might feel free to post or say things you wouldn’t say in person. But texting, posting, direct messaging, playing video games, and emailing are the same as talking to someone face to face. Be mindful about how you communicate and think before you speak or post.

Don’t impersonate. It’s wrong and potentially hurtful to create profiles, comments, or posts that seem to come from someone else, like someone in your class or a teacher.

Speak up If you see a friend post something thoughtless or unsafe, tell them. You may keep your friend out of trouble and from embarrassing themselves. If you see something inappropriate online, report it and tell a trusted adult. Most apps and platforms have a way to report if someone’s behavior is threatening or inappropriate.

Stand Up to Cyberbullying.

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their daily interactions with other people, whether they’re online or face to face.

If someone harasses you online, here’s what to do: 
Ignore the person or block them from contacting you further. 
Save the records and ask for help from a trusted adult. 
Report it. Many apps and platforms have tools to report someone for inappropriate or threatening behavior. 

Protect Your Privacy.

When you do anything online, you leave a trail. Take these steps to make sure that trail doesn’t lead to information you may not have intended to share.

Use privacy settings. Find out how to turn on privacy settings for devices, apps, and social media accounts — then do it. This helps you limit who can see where you are, what you post, and who can connect with you.

Check your location settings. Some apps let you see where your friends are. They also share where you are. Think about when it makes sense to share your location. When it doesn’t, turn off location sharing. Always ask yourself: “Does this app need to know where I am?”

Limit your online friends to people you actually know. Connecting with friends through text, social media, or video games might be fun — but some people aren’t who they say they are online. And if you’re not careful, you might share personal information with a stranger.

***Be on the lookout for Part 2 of this series!!!***

 *Learn more at consumer.ftc.gov.