Safer Internet Day 2010

The internet is a great place for sharing stuff, but remember that what you share with your friends could be seen by other people that you don’t know. They may also be able to look at it for years to come. Once it’s online, it could be there forever. So think before you post.

Tips

•	Keep your personal details private. Use an appropriate handle or username instead of your real name. If you are unsure, don’t give out your name, address, phone number or any other personal details over the internet.

•	Don’t share your username or password with anyone.

•	Think before you hit send or post. Once something is posted, it can be online forever.

•	Don't post anything you don't want others to know—or that you wouldn’t say to them face to face. Respect your friends too—that ‘funny’ photo of them at a party might not be so funny for them, and they might not be very happy if you post it up for everyone in the world to see. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

•	Remember that private images and videos you send to friends or post on a social networking site may be easily passed on to others and uploaded to public sites. This can include pictures that may only be intended for your close friends or your boyfriend/girlfriend. Once they’re up, it’s almost impossible to remove them completely.

•	Respect other people’s content and be aware that if you post or share their content it might breach copyright laws. For example, a photo that your friend took is their property, not yours. You can only post it online if you have their permission.

•	Read the terms and conditions of any photo or content sharing sites. Some sites require you to license the material to the site, which might mean that you lose control over your content.