Staying safe online
We want everyone who uses Bounce Back Newham to be safe online. Here’s some guidance on how to stay safe from the ThinkUKnow website.
5 top tips for safer social networking
If you use social networks always think about who can see the things you post and what they reveal about you.
- Know who your friends are. It’s really tempting to accept as many friend requests or follows as possible. It can make us feel popular. But remember, they could be anyone. Do you really want them seeing your pictures, videos or comments?
- Share with care. Once you’ve put something online you’ve lost control of it – it can be copied, shared or edited. It could turn up anywhere. You might be happy showing a funny picture to your friends but would you want your parents or teachers to see it?
- Use privacy settings. Most social networks let you limit what you share to friends or followers you’ve OKed. It’s always a good idea to only let people you know and trust see your stuff. Learn how to use privacy settings and how to block people who are bothering you.
- Know how to report. Most social networks let you report to them if you have a problem on their site. So if someone’s shared an embarrassing picture or is being nasty to you, you need to know how to get help. Learn how to report on any site or app you use by visiting their ‘safety’ pages. Find the Safety pages of popular sites
- Know how to get help. If someone’s bullying you on a social network you should talk to an adult you trust, or, if you’d rather speak to someone you can call Childline on 0800 1111. If someone’s being weird or making you feel uncomfortable, talking about sex or asking you to do things you don’t want to do you should report to CEOP. Whatever may have happened CEOP will understand. You won’t be in trouble.
Find out more about staying safe on social media at the ThinkUKnow website.
5 ways to keep your secret stuff secret!
Though there are criminals who might try to steal your stuff it’s easy to protect your computer. Here are five things you should always do:
- Set strong passwords! Your password is like the keys to your house. You should use a different one for each site you use and make sure it’s a mix of letters, numbers and symbols. Don’t use ones which are easy to guess, like QWERTY, 123456 or Password!!
- Check URLs. The URL is the address of the website. You can find it in the address bar at the top of the page. The url for Thinkuknow is - http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk - can you see it on this page? When you click a link you should always check the URL is the one you would expect for the site before you enter any details.
- Don’t click on links from people you don’t know. These could take you to phishing sites or download viruses or malware onto your computer. Never enter your details into a site you’re not sure about – even if the link has come from a friend.
- Always use antivirus software. If you’ve got your own computer make sure you get anti-virus software. If your parent or carer bought it for you ask them to make sure you’ve got one installed. They can find out more at Get Safe Online
- Treat your password like your toothbrush and lock your phone! Don’t share your password, even with your best friend! If you share your password or leave a phone or computer unlocked then someone else could access any accounts you haven’t logged out of. They could spread rumours about you, say nasty things about other people and get you in trouble. They could pretend to be you!
Find out more about keeping your online information private at the ThinkUKnow website.
5 steps to take if you’re being bullied online
- Tell an adult you trust. Bullying can be hard to talk about but you shouldn’t feel that you have to handle it alone. Talk to an adult you trust. This could be your mum or dad, your aunt or a teacher. They will support you and help you to make it stop.
- Talk to someone your age. Talk to a friend or if you don’t want to talk to someone you know, you can post messages and get advice on Childline's Message boards.
- Block the bullies. Most websites will let you block people to stop them communicating with you. Find out how on most popular sites
- Keep the evidence. Keep any nasty emails, texts or web pages so you can show someone what’s been going on.
- Report mean videos, pictures, comments or pages to the website you’ve found them on. Learn more about how to do this here.
Find out more about tackling online bullying at the ThinkUKnow website.