Think B4 U post!
Have you ever been tagged in a photo online you didn't want people to see?
On Safer Internet Day 9th February 2010, INSAFE launches the campaign "Think B4 U post!"
Being able to instantly upload things to social networking sites, YouTube, video blogs and iPhones, we have all turned into publishers of information, pictures and videos in a matter of minutes. In fact, because we manage our online profiles, some young people use this as an expression of their identity where it can create a false sense of "celebrity".
But what if you don't want your information everywhere? Tagging people in pictures, like in Facebook, makes it very easy to search for any person's photos online.
So what's the problem?
Photos, once online, stay online and can be seen by anybody, even years after they have been posted.
Some people don’t realise that personal information they post stays online and it can be accessed by anyone (including parents, teachers, future employers, predators…) Did you know? Many employers now check their job candidates online.
Personal information contained in social networking profiles can be used by individuals who aren’t very nice for purposes which may include grooming. Innocent pictures can easily be displayed in a completely different context, leading to embarrassment, or even bullying. Photos online can be cut, pasted, altered or distorted.
What can you do?
Think B4 U Post! Before posting a comment, picture or video, think about what you are posting and who could see it. Use the tips below for social networking sites:
- Only add friends to your profile that you know.
- If you are friends with someone you don't know very well, or an organisation, add them to a limited profile.
- You can create a lot of 'limited profile lists' on Facebook, these lists can be created in the 'settings' area. This means you can choose how much, or little, people can see of your profile. The benefit of this is once you have created your limited lists you can then choose who can go on there at any time.
- Don't publish any personal information. This includes your email, telephone number, school and address.
- Only tag friends in photos if they have given you their permission. Like you, they may not want photos of them published on the web for everyone to see.
- Think about who can see your information. Can anyone see your details if they used a search engine? Can everyone see your status updates or photos? Who may be looking at your profile?
See how much you know here.
Do you have any tips you want to share about keeping safe online?
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