This section provides you with information on issues relating to online safety, such as how to protect yourselves from inappropriate Web sites, and how to ensure the security of your home computer on the Internet. We encourage you to read the following information.

General Safety Information

Passwords
For general security purposes you should regularly change your password. You should keep your password secret, don't ever write it down and leave it near your or any other computer.

Chat Rooms
A chat room or Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a place on the Internet where people with similar interests can meet and communicate together by typing messages on their computer. The messages in a chat room appear instantly to everybody who is connected to that particular chat room.  As chat rooms are a potential danger to children there are a few guidelines that they should follow.  Netalert recommends the following should be used as a guideline.

A MUST Read for young people!

6 rules when using the Internet and Chat rooms

1. Never reveal any details that could be used to physically trace you, such as your real name, address, phone number, school name and friend’s name.
2. If something appears on the screen in front of you, and you find it disturbing, you should let your parents, teacher or friends know.
3. If you hear or see your friends not doing the right thing in a chat room, remind them of the potential dangers and how to do the right thing.
4. Chat rooms are great ways to talk to people but beware that some people in them are not who they say they are. If someone, or something, disturbs you in a chat room, leave the chat room and find one where there are people you like.
5. Remember not everything you read in chat rooms is true and people may not be who they say they are. Be smart and make decisions for yourself on what you think is right and wrong.
6. Let your parents know when you have made a new friend online. If you want to meet this new person face-to-face, you must let your parents, teacher, carer or other responsible adult know that you have organised to meet someone.

Be a Cybersmart Kid!

The ABA’s website, Cybersmart Kids Online is a must for kids who use the Internet.  The website particularly has a list of rules pertaining to what children should do and what they should be aware of when surfing the Internet.  These rules can help educate children about what to do and what not to do online.  To visit these rules, click here.