Using the internet is not just logging onto a computer and looking something up on Google.

Every time you use your phone, tv, computer or any other device that connects to wi-fi, you are using the internet.

Social media is the internet too, so any information or photos that are on Facebook, Snapchat, online dating apps, Instagram or X (Twitter) are all on the internet.

Using the internet means that you might see or hear things that you don’t want to see or hear.

When something is on the internet it is there forever.

The eSafety Commissioner can help to take some things off the internet, but most pictures and information are on there forever. The ideas or beliefs people have when they are younger might change.

If they put those ideas or pictures of what they do on the internet someone might see the ideas or pictures many years later and think the person still believes or does these things. This can change how people think about another person and that could stop them from getting a job one day.

Once something has been shared on the internet or by a message, we no longer have any control over what happens to that information or picture.

If someone threatens to share a nude picture or video of you, that’s a type of image-based abuse and it’s illegal.

‘Sextortion’ is when someone asks you for money or more photos or videos and threatens to share the other pictures or videos on social media if you don’t. If this happens stop messaging and do not give them more money, photos, or videos. It’s not your fault, so ask a trusted person for help or contact the police or the eSafety Commissioner.

We all have information on the internet, like our names, birthdays, our address. There are lots of places that put our information on a computer. But that information is kept safe and is only used by the people who work there.

If we put personal information on the internet by using an app or social media or posting pictures, then the information can be shared and can be seen by anyone who looks for it.

Being careful about sharing personal information can help us stay safe.

‘Doxing’ is when someone shares your personal information without consent. They might share it to try and get you angry or to get you in trouble. Sometimes it can lead to you, or other people, being hurt.

It is important that you are careful about how much personal information you share.

Most people share their name but be careful with your address, your phone number, your birthday and your passwords or bank account details.

Using the internet and online dating apps can be a great way to meet new people. To help with staying safe try not to share too much personal information.

It is also important to remember that some people might pretend to be a different person to trick you into liking them. Be very careful about sending nudes.

You should never send money, bank account details or your address to someone you have been talking to on a dating app.

A lot of people make friends or find partners on the internet, it can be a great way to meet new people.

If you do make a new friend on the internet you need to be careful, some people go on the internet and pretend to be someone else.

They might pretend to like the same things as you so that you can be friends, this is sometimes called ‘catfishing’. People will do this to make you believe you have a new friend and then get you to share information or pictures. This can be bad if they then use the information or pictures to make you do things you don’t want to do.

Lots of people make friends and meet partners on the internet and it can be really fun. But if you are meeting someone for the first time you need to do a few things to make it safer.

Meet in a public place with other people around, like a café, the library, or a restaurant.

Tell someone where you are going and who you are meeting, and how long you will be, or take a friend with you to meet the new person. This way you can check and make sure that you like the person, and you feel happy or safe with them.

If you meet the person and you feel uncomfortable or fearful then tell them you need to leave.

It can be very embarrassing to be tricked and also to have a nude photo on the internet where other people can see it, but there are ways to get help to take the picture off the internet.

Talk to a trusted adult and they can help to contact the e-safety commission who can help to get pictures removed from the internet. They can also help if a nude picture has been changed to have your face on it – this is something called a ‘deep fake’, where people make a new picture out of two or more other pictures.

All the different technology (phones, computers, smart watches) that we use make our lives easier in lots of ways. Sadly, some people will use these devices to spy on, annoy or bully other people.

Some people will send nasty or mean messages, threaten people or track where they are using technology.

If you think this might be happening or if you want to make it hard for someone to do, there are things can be done to your device’s or settings changed in your apps, to protect you.

Ask a trusted adult to help lock your devices and block your location. For more ideas go to the eSafety Commissioner website.

The words that we use are just as important in real life as they are online.

If we would not say something to someone in person, we should not say it online either. Written words can hurt people and make them upset or uncomfortable just as much as spoken words. It is important to be respectful of different people and different ideas online and face to face.

If someone says something to you that makes you feel uncomfortable online you can delete or block them.

If someone is being inappropriate online it is OK to tell them to leave you alone, to go away and then block them.