A Smart Girl's Guide: Digital World. Carrie Anton

take it back—even if you wish you could.

      Your parents will probably set rules, like which apps and websites you can

      visit, and with whom you can talk and share online. Think of it like learning

      an important skill, such as swimming, with a coach and lots of practice.

      Start the conversation with your parents. Show them you’re ready to be

      trusted to follow their digital rules. Suggest a contract, like the one here.

      The more open you are with your parents about your online life, the

      more likely they’ll be to see you as a good digital citizen.

      Digital World Contract

      I will not sign up for any site without my parents’ OK.

      My parents and I will preview a site together before deciding to sign me up.

      My parents and I will register for my account and set privacy settings together,

      and I will not change any settings myself.

      My parents will have the usernames and passwords to any accounts I have.

      My parents will “friend” and “follow” me on all my sites and will be able to see

      everything I post.

      I will never post my last name, my home address, the name of my school, or other

      information that identifies me or my family—either in words or in pictures.

      Me

      Mom or Dad

      play it

      safe

      How I feel about the digital world

      is cautious. I’m careful to only

      share things with people I know

      and to keep my accounts private.

      –Natalie

      that’s personal

      No matter what digital stuff you do—play games, research homework,

      chat with friends, browse websites—the adults in your life will want to

      look over your shoulder and talk about safety. Why? you may wonder.

      You’re not scaling ice-covered mountains. You’re just hanging out at

      home, clicking and tapping. What harm could it do?

      Lots, if you’re not careful.

      Public vs. private

      Public means anyone can see.

      Websites and pages you find with

      a browser and without a password

      are public, including social media

      sites where people comment, play

      games, post photos, and share

      thoughts. Private means you con-

      trol who can see what you do—or

      at least that’s the idea. The truth is,

      nothing digital is ever completely

      private. E-mails and texts can be copied or forwarded to other people.

      Even posts in a social media account that you think are private can

      sometimes be tagged, shared, and copied.

      Zipped lips and

      fingertips

      Staying safe means using sites

      approved for your age. It also

      means thinking twice before you

      type or tap—no matter what age

      you are! To update an old-world

      phrase, safety is about keeping

      your digital lips zipped.

      Sharing personal information can

      let a stranger know where you

      live, what school you go to, or

      the field where you play soccer. It

      can give bullies an opportunity to

      single you out. It can even allow

      someone to pretend to be you.

      Know before you go

      Before you go online to public or private websites, learn this list of

      important DON’Ts.

      Don’t share digits. If it’s got a number in it, keep it offline. That

      includes things like your address, birth date, age, phone number, and

      any account numbers.

      Don’t give your name. It might be OK to use your first name if it’s

      not unusual, but a nickname or online name is better.