Learn about llamas, read up on your favorite skateboard star, or study a stegosaurus.
You can do all these things online and then email or text your best friend about it.
That's why the Internet is amazing! But it also has some things you need to watch
out for.
Who Are You Online?
You're always you, of course. But if you use a smartphone, tablet, or computer
to play games and text with friends, you also have an online identity. Games and websites
might let you create a profile picture that represents you. It's fun to dress up that
character and maybe give it a sense of style you'd never try at school.
Apps and websites also let you choose your own username. If you want to be known
as King_of_Ketchup, that's your new name. So if you start calling yourself the King
of Ketchup, does that mean you really like ketchup? Should you tell your new online
friends how much you love ketchup? That's up to you, but it brings up a good point:
How much should you share about your real self online?
You may feel fine telling your best friends about your biggest crush, but what
if the whole school could see your poem about your crush's beautiful eyes? What if
strangers could see it?
There are rules about being online, just like there are rules about what you do
and say in other places. It's important you learn the rules so you can play safely
online.
Keep Your Privacy
Anybody who uses the Internet has been asked to sign in, log in, or create a profile.
Kids need to check with a parent or grown-up before doing so. Why? This information
could be used for reasons you wouldn't like, like getting a lot of junk email.
Another word about email: If you have your own account, let your mom or dad know
before you reply to email that asks for your personal information. Some email looks
official, but it's actually a trick to get your personal info.
Another way to keep your privacy is to choose a screen name or email account name
that isn't your real name. For instance, instead of "Jack_Smith," why not choose "Sk8boardKing21"?
Only your friends and family will know your code name!
Social Media and Strangers
Maybe you're allowed to use your phone to send texts or watch videos. As you get
older, you might get interested in social media sites. These usually have a minimum
age (13 years), but many kids look at these sites before they're 13.
Social media sites let you text, share photos, play online games with friends,
and tell people as much or as little about yourself as you want. But they also can
let you meet strangers. It might seem fun to make new friends, but do not communicate
with strangers you meet online. Don't talk to them, agree to phone them, or email
them photos of yourself.
To a kid, this can seem kind of silly. The writer might seem really nice and tell
you how you sound really smart and cute. Unfortunately, kids have been tricked online
by people who pretend to be something that they're not. Someone might lie and say
they're in sixth grade too, when they're really all grown up. Some kids have found
themselves in a dangerous situation when they agreed to meet the mysterious online
"friend" in person.
Let your parents know if a stranger emails you, sends a text message, or starts
a conversation with you online. A grown-up should decide what's best to do, which
may include changing your email address or telling the police. In general, if you're
thinking about creating an account on a social media site, talk with your mom or dad
first.
