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00:00Must you document every meal? It's cafeteria food, no one cares.
00:11Dear Cassie and Moby, Without texting and online games, my life would be meaningless. But is it safe to go online?
00:28Evan
00:30Well, Evan, there are some dangers to going online, but that doesn't mean you can't stay safe.
00:36We should know. I use the internet to research our movies.
00:41And Moby is basically married to his phone.
00:48Uh-huh.
00:50So anyway, going online is sort of like going outside. It's safe as long as you remember some simple rules.
00:59Rule number one, online life is real life.
01:03We work online, play online, shop, talk, and share online.
01:09The things we say and do there have real effects on our lives.
01:14So before you say or do anything in the virtual world, ask yourself, would I do this in person?
01:22Remember this first tip, and the rest are pretty common sense.
01:26Rule two, keep your private info private.
01:31Websites and apps are public spaces. You wouldn't walk around handing out your personal info.
01:38So you need to be just as careful online.
01:42Lots of services will ask for your name, email address, and other stuff before you can register.
01:48They also may request access to your contact list.
01:52So it's a good idea to check out their privacy policy.
01:56That's an explanation of how they plan to use any info you give them.
02:01These documents can be long and confusing.
02:05So ask a grown-up to help you separate the good sites from the bad.
02:10That's especially true with social networks.
02:13If you're under 13, you need a guardian's permission even to sign up.
02:19And for a screen name, pick something totally different from your real one.
02:24One that doesn't give away anything about your age, location, or gender.
02:31Sure, most of your InstaSnap friends know you from real life.
02:36There's Crackers, Green Beans, Josephine.
02:39But you also have a bunch of contacts that you've never met.
02:44Like this totally regular non-shady robot here.
02:48Which brings us to our next point.
02:51Rule number three, be extra careful with strangers.
02:56If you have any online friends, remember, all you know about them is what they tell you.
03:02That makes it easy for people to hide who they really are.
03:06It's a terrible thing to think about.
03:08But there are adults who use the internet to trick kids.
03:13It can sound scary, but it doesn't have to be.
03:17The grown-ups in your life can help you figure this stuff out.
03:21You should check with them before interacting with anyone online.
03:27And definitely talk to a trusted grown-up if an online buddy wants to meet face-to-face.
03:33And before sharing photos of yourself or any other personal info.
03:38Oh, and while we're on the subject of strangers, remember that they're not the only danger.
03:44Someone you know can use your personal information against you too.
03:49So don't go telling your contact info to just any kid from school.
03:56Yeah, bullying hurts just as much online as in person.
04:01Rule four, tell somebody.
04:05If anyone makes you feel bad or uncomfortable, save any messages or screenshots that show what's happening.
04:13You can block those people and report them to the site's administrators.
04:18And remember, the grown-ups in your life are there to help protect you from bad stuff.
04:23So let them help.
04:26Rule five, protect your passwords.
04:30This one's simple. Use strong passwords containing letters, numbers, and symbols.
04:36Keep them in a safe place and don't tell them to anybody.
04:40Not even your best friend needs to know your passwords.
04:45Rule six, be nice.
04:48It's up to you to help make the internet a better place.
04:52Be nice to people and respect their feelings and beliefs.
04:56Most likely, they'll return the favor.
04:59Besides, you can get banned for being rude.
05:05You'll notice that a lot of these rules involve checking stuff out with adults you trust.
05:11The online world can be a tricky place for kids to navigate without a little help.
05:18Well, in your case, better check with me.
05:22Yeah, but I'm basically your guardian.
05:27Tim? Never heard of him.