There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of being affected by digital communication hazards:
- Ask an adult to recommend any child-friendly sites to you that they know are safe and suitable.
- Think carefully before you share your personal information with other people � developing an online alias might sometimes be more appropriate so that others can�t identify you.
- Use moderated discussion forums where adults check the messages and deal with anything unsuitable or unpleasant immediately.
- Keep your passwords secret and log off when finished so that nobody else can access your accounts and misuse them.
- Don�t upload digital content about others (e.g. photos/videos) without their permission � you don�t want to cause them upset or embarrassment.
- Block or ignore friend requests from strangers on social networking sites.
- Regularly use anti-virus software to check your files. If it finds a virus, it may be able to remove it and stop it from spreading.
- Only download from official websites and open email attachments from people you know � these files will unlikely contain viruses.
If you do encounter a hazard, always talk to a person you know in real life who can be trusted (e.g. a parent, teacher, policeman etc.) so that they can help you cope and give you�re the best advice about any further actions to take.
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