Sometimes it’s hard to know what’s right and wrong on the net. When does a joke go too far? And what kind of acts are plain uncool or even dangerous?
You might not even know you’re being treated wrongly or putting yourself at risk, and that’s the point of this info: to list some cyber-stuff that is definitely NOT on.
Cyber-stuff that’s wrong
Has any of the following ever happened to you? If the answer is yes, then that’s not cool! Read on – we’ll give you some tips on how to protect yourself in a moment.
- Having a private online conversation between you and a friend passed on to someone else without your permission
- Being tricked into giving out a secret online
- Having an embarrassing picture of you posted or sent around online
- Being signed up to receive unwanted e-mails, like pornography, by someone else
- Having someone break into your account or steal your password
- Finding out that the person you're e-mailing, texting or messaging isn't the person you thought they were
- Having someone pretend to be you online
- Being entered in an online poll or contest without your knowledge or against your will
- Having someone post nasty comments on your guestbook, blog, or on a discussion board
- Having someone insult you in an e-mail or text
How to get help and protect yourself
If any of the stuff above sounds familiar, you need to take care. Here are some practical ways to keep safe.
- Let someone know - tell an adult (parent or teacher) you trust or contact a support service such as Kids Helpline (new window) or Cybersmart (new window)
- Report it to the police - if you are receiving threatening messages and feel in danger, you should call 000 and report it to the police
- Don’t retaliate or reply if you’re being hassled - this can lead to a flame war and only encourages the other person
- Block or report - learn how to block or report aggressive users; Tom Wood’s blog (new window) explains how to do this for different sites (MySpace, Facebook, Bebo etc.)
- Save the evidence - learn how to keep records of offending online conversations, messages and images
- Protect your private info - only give your mobile phone number, email address and website details to people you can trust
- Password security - make sure your password is at least eight characters long, a mix of letters and numbers and not the name of your favourite food, pet or football team
Helpful links
The Wood Verdict
Tom Wood’s blog on cyber bullying is based on first-hand experience. Check out his Complete Guide to Stopping Cyber Bullying.
Cybersmart
Information on cyber bullying for parents and teachers, as well as young people.
Bullying. No way!
An informative site put together by Australian school communities.
Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800
Kids Helpline is a free, confidential and anonymous telephone and online counselling service for young people.
Reach Out
Informative page on cyber bullying aimed at a youth audience.
