Stay safe online with our safety guidelines, which includes special information to help parents protect their children when they use internet services.
Protect your privacy
Consider carefully before publishing any identifiable information about yourself or your family. Find out about available filters and adjust your privacy settings so your profile and certain information cannot be seen by outsiders.
Beware of information from unproven sources
Don’t believe everything you read, just because it is online.Carefully assess the validity of the information you view, based on its origin, the reputation of the source, and how it’s reported elsewhere.
Remember the internet is a public space
Everything you write, say and upload online is public, and can circulate quickly and easily (and potentially for a very long time). So don’t write things or upload pictures that might embarrass you later in life.
Learn what is considered offensive or prohibited conduct
Ensure that you behave appropriately, and learn how to report any inappropriate behaviour.
Copy and share with care
Copying content directly from a website and submitting it as your own work may be illegal. Copying and distributing music or media may also be illegal. Make sure you are aware of any copyright restrictions on anything that you copy and use elsewhere.
Be careful meeting online contacts in the real world
If you plan to meet someone you’ve been in contact with online, make sure you tell close friends or family about who you’re meeting and where, and make sure that your meeting place is in a safe, relatively busy public place.
Stop and think before uploading images from your mobile device
This is a quick and easy way to share new photos, but you need to be sure that the photos are appropriate to share online.
Mobile devices might contain as much sensitive information as a PC
Emails, contacts and even passwords pre-entered into web sites you visit might still be in your mobile device.
Be careful about sharing your location
Some services allow you to share your location with friends and other contacts, but it’s wise to check you only share this information with people you trust. Think: do you want anybody and everybody to know exactly where you are (and therefore where you are not) at any given time?
Always remember that data charges may apply
When you use mobile internet services it may involve transmission of large amounts of data through your service provider’s network. Contact your network service provider for information about data transmission charges.
Are you a parent? Is your child online, or using mobile internet services?
If you’re a parent, we’ve collected some advice and guidelines to help your children stay safe when they go online.