There is advice on protecting yourself from specific online crime in other sections of the site, but these are some general rules to help you stay safe.

• Don’t post any of your personal information online – this includes your address, phone number, email address and school.
• Keep the privacy settings on all your social media accounts as high as possible. This will stop people you don’t know being able to look at your profile. All social media sites have guides that tell you how to set your privacy.
• Never give your passwords to anyone, especially to people you don’t know.
• As a rule, what starts online should stay online, so don’t meet up with people you’ve met on the internet as they may not be who they have said they are. Speak to your parent/carer if anyone asks you to meet up.
• Think about what you say before you post something online. If you wouldn’t want your parents, friends, school or family to see it then don’t post it.
• Don’t post anything that might be hurtful or offensive about someone, even if you are angry at the time. Once it’s posted you can’t take it back.
• Be careful about posting videos or pictures online. Once they’re posted people may be able to download them and then they are out of your control.
• If you see something online (on a website, in a chat room) that makes you feel uncomfortable or scared, tell an adult that you trust about it.
• Turn off or cover your webcam when you’re not using it.