Staying Safe Online Lifebabble

Hey, Lifebabblers.

The internet can be a great place to discover new things.

But it can be easy to make mistakes.

So we'll be babbling about the best ways to enjoy your time

online by keeping it safe, sensible and respectful to others.

Here's what you need to know.

Socialising online can be lots of fun. Just stay smart about it.

Use the same rules that you use when you're out in the real world.

And when you get that message on your mobile phone,

just remember, it may not be the person you think it is.

There are so many different ways of connecting with friends.

But some websites have age restrictions.

Check the website's terms and conditions to check

if you're the right age to use it.

Never arrange to meet someone you meet online,

no matter how well you think you know them.

It's worth remembering that everybody is different.

What you find funny, someone else might not.

Always treat people the way you want to be treated.

I have no friends online. I'm not sure how safe it is.

I sometimes feel pressure from peers to go online,

but I decided it wasn't for me.

I have lots of friends online. I all know them in real life.

So I don't talk to anybody that I don't know.

I don't have any friends such as Justin Bieber, out of nowhere.

In my opinion, just be really safe.

Sometimes everything is not quite

as it seems online.

I want to write something cool, but sitting here alone isn't

exactly the most exciting thing to write about.

Oh, I know!

Here I am at an awesome celebrity party.

Celebration emoji!

Party emoji!

Well, that didn't work.

Maybe I can impress people with my awesome baking skills.

Well, that was an epic fail. Here's one I bought earlier.

No-one will ever know! Cake emoji!

Oops!

I think I'll write about my incredible physical prowess.

Exercise emoji!

OK, so I'm not really. Embarrassed emoji.

You may have heard the word or phrase "digital footprint".

You might not know it, but whenever you do something online,

you leave a footprint of wherever and whatever you're doing.

Once you leave this footprint, it's almost impossible to get rid of.

So while putting your pictures and videos online

can be a great way to express your creativity

and share with your friends, there's no such thing as a secret online.

And once it's on the internet,

a lot of that stuff is going to be there forever.

It's worth remembering that when you post something online,

you are potentially sharing that with

billions of people all around the world.

Imagine your grandma is sitting behind you - what would she think?

It's really important to balance online and offline time.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up with what's going online, we forget

that coming offline may be the best way

to resolve the problem.

Think of your online social world as

an extension to your offline relationships.

If it doesn't add something genuine to your friendship,

then it's not worth it.

Being online can make us feel happy and excited,

but remember, don't give out your personal information.

Keep your full name, your address, mobile number, e-mail address,

school name and friends' full names all secret.

Keep your online life positive and healthy and, of course, enjoy it!

That's all we have time for today, Lifebabblers.

If you want to find out more about staying safe online,

head over to the CBBC website.

Enjoy, stay safe and remember, keep babbling.