"Safety Tips: How to Protect Yourself from Online Scammers and Bullies"

Memo. Virtual Scammers and Other Online Criminals

You know that outside your home and school, there is a chance of encountering people who may harm or rob you. There are also malicious individuals on the Internet—you must remember this and behave as cautiously online as you would on the street or in unfamiliar places.

Do not share your address or phone number with strangers and never post them online.

Never send your photos without your parents' permission. Remember that criminals may use this information against you or your loved ones.

If you want to participate in a contest that requires submitting personal information, consult your parents first.

Never agree to visit someone you met on the Internet.

If a meeting is arranged, it must take place in a public place and preferably in the presence of your parents. Remember, the person pretending to be your peer may actually be an adult with criminal intentions.

Internet Etiquette. Cyberbullies and Rude People Online

Besides criminals, there are also mean and ill-mannered individuals online. For their own amusement, they may offend you, send disturbing images, or start bullying campaigns. You may encounter such people on various websites, forums, and chats.

Remember: it’s not your fault if you receive an offensive message. Don’t respond to rude people—just end the communication.

If you are threatened online, do not hesitate to tell your parents. Remember, threats are meant to scare and hurt you. But people who threaten others fear responsibility. Group harassment is an extreme form of cruelty. The victim is bombarded with insults and threats, their photos are distorted, and personal information is made public.

Never participate in bullying and don’t interact with people who hurt others.

Always consult your parents or a trusted adult in all such situations.

Memo. Be Responsible and Attentive Online

Safety Recommendations

• Use the Internet with limited user permissions.

• Do not save passwords on your computer.

• Read carefully before filling out forms on websites.

• Do not publish your phone number or address on social networks or in chats.

• Do not post information online that you don’t want to be public.

• Develop online behavior habits that minimize risk. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

• Never go to an in-person meeting with an "online friend."

• Do not take things without paying for them (mainly applies to conditionally free software).

• Protect the privacy and personal information of others. Do not post anyone's email address, photos, or home address without their permission. Use the “Send by email” option instead. Do not use someone else’s password without permission.

• Do not post photo or video files showing abuse of peers.

• Trust your intuition. Not everything on the Internet is true.

• Learn to distinguish reliable sources from unreliable ones and verify the information you find online.

10 Internet Safety Rules for Children