Web Wise Rules

Social Networking

Age limits on social networks vary, please check before registering and always be careful online!!!

Bebo’s Safety centre
Myspace’s safety tips
Facebook’s privacy and security advice

Protect your privacy on sites like MySpace, Bebo and Facebook.
Social networking is growing in popularity but are you revealing more than you meant to?

What is social networking?
Websites such as MySpace, Bebo and Facebook let you communicate with friends online and build networks of friends linked by shared hobbies and interests. Howver, be sure you know the people you add, never accept a friend request from somebody you don't know!

Risks
These sites are very popular with young people. They expose them to risks they have always faced online but in a new forum: online bullying, disclosure of private information, cyber-stalking, access to age-inappropriate content and, at the most extreme, online grooming and child abuse.

For adults, who are also using these sites in greater numbers, there are serious risks too. They include: loss of privacy and identity theft. Adults too can be victims of cyber-bullying and stalking.

Protect your privacy
You can avoid these risks and enjoy social networking sites by following a few sensible guidelines:

Don’t let peer pressure or what other people are doing on these sites push you into doing something you’re not comfortable with. Just because other people post their mobile phone number or birthday, doesn’t mean you have to.

Be wary of publishing any identifying information about yourself. In particular things like: phone numbers, pictures of your home, workplace or school, your address, birthday or full name.
Pick a user name that doesn’t include any personal information. For example, “joe_glasgow” or “jane_liverpool” would be bad choices.

Set up a separate email account that doesn’t use your real name and use that to register and receive mail from the site. That way if you want to shut down your connection, you can simply stop using that mail account. This is very simple and quick to do using such providers as Hotmail or Yahoo! Mail.
Use a strong password.

What goes online stays online. Don’t say anything or publish pictures that might cause you embarrassment later. As a general rule, if you wouldn’t say it to your boss or your grandmother, don’t say it online.
Learn how to use the site. Use the privacy features on the site you use to restrict strangers’ access to your profile. Be guarded about who you let join your network.
Be on your guard against phishing scams.

SET YOUR PROFILE TO PRIVATE!

Again check the guidelines on the actual site:

Bebo’s Safety centre
Myspace’s safety tips
Facebook’s privacy and security advice

Websites

Websites are great fun and an excellent place to learn but it is important to BE SAFE when you are surfing the web. When you log on to the net you are entering a big world of users, most of the people in the web world are genuine people, but there are some who abuse the net and need to be avoided.

Chat rooms and message boards are good to use but they need to be used properly and safely, follow Jonny Long Life’s webwise rules below, helping you to surf in a safe environment:

Do not:

• Meet people you chat to over the internet. If you decide to meet people we strongly recommend that you only do this if your parent(s) goes with you, make sure that you meet in a public place.
  
  
• Tell anyone you speak to on the internet what your home address is, your telephone number (including your mobile), your schools name.
  
  
• Send anyone any pictures of yourself.
  
  
• Send any other personal details such as bank details or credit card numbers, especially if they aren’t yours!
  
  
• Keep nasty, aggressive or suggestive message or comments to yourself, tell a parent and get them to notify the website creators.

Do:

• Keep all your personal details to your self, this includes passwords and usernames.
  
  
• Ask your parents if you are allowed to use a certain site and its chat room facilities.
  
  
• Be careful in any chat room, even this one!! We do try to make sure that only people who should be using it do so, but there is currently no way of telling if somebody is who the really say they are.
  
  
• If you think that somebody is chatting in a room and they shouldn’t be, leave the room!!! Tell a parent and get them to contact the website creators.
  
  
• Be yourself and don’t pretend to be somebody else.

Keeping safe on the net is important for you and for us, it enables you to enjoy the facilities and allows us to provide the facilities you want.