Surfing safe means surfing smart!

The Internet is a great tool and cruising through cyberspace can be a lot of fun! Instant messaging, blogging, e-mail, web pages . . . there are lots of things to see and do online. Using the Internet safely is easy when you think smart.

Using these tips and your common sense will help keep you safe. Tell your parents about anything strange or unusual that happens while you are using the computer.

Personal Identification

Do you know who’s visiting your website? Criminals use the Internet to identify their targets. They collect their information from more than one source, so the more sites you enter personal information on, the easier it is for predators to find you. Blogs and personal web pages are a great place to post your opinions and experiences but often contain too much information about you.

Tip: Whether you’re designing your own site or visiting someone else’s, remember to never post or give out:

• photos of yourself
• your home address or telephone number
• information about the school you attend

Chat rooms / Instant Messaging

Keeping in touch with your friends is important. Instant messaging and chatrooms let you do that without tying up the phone.

But it's important to remember that predators regularly monitor open chat rooms. If you find yourself talking to strangers on the Internet, you are at risk.

Remember, anyone can pretend to be someone else online!

Tips:

• Always know who you are talking to
• Don’t chat or talk with strangers
• Never agree to meet a stranger you’ve met online or give them your address/phone number
• Report all unusual or uncomfortable events to your parents

Web cams

Your web cam may be providing more information about you than you know!Predators often collect photos of children to share with other predators. These photos can spread quickly over the Internet and items in your room may even provide clues about who you are and where you live.

Tip: Never send photos of yourself to people you do not know.