We love Facebook, and we’re sure that most of you do too. It’s fun to catch up with friends after school, and it’s a great way to relax and learn more about the new kid in your math class or even that cute guy you’ve been checking out. You just wanna have fun, but taking 5 minutes every once in a while to think about safety while you’re using Facebook is a big help. It makes your parents happy (and builds trust!) and it makes sure you can keep on having a good time on Facebook!
So what kind of things do you need to think about when it comes to Facebook Safety? There are 3 major things you should do:
- Set It Up Right. If you’re new to Facebook, or you can’t remember the last time you checked your account and privacy settings, take 15 minutes to do a privacy tune up. Check all of your settings to make sure you’re comfortable with them. Do you want everyone at your school to see a photo album, or to have your phone number? Just because there’s a space there for your number doesn’t mean you need to share.
- Think Before You Post. Online slip-ups happen so easily. We’ve all posted something online that we later wish we hadn’t. It’s a good idea to just pause for 5 seconds before hitting the send button to make sure we mean what we’re about to say… and more like 5 minutes if we’re mad! If you’ve already posted something you wish you hadn’t… it’s never too late to delete it, and apologize to anyone you might have offended.
- Set Your Boundaries. If something makes you feel uncomfortable, it’s ok to take a step back. Don’t put up with pushy or inappropriate behavior from others. If you wouldn’t put up with something in real life, why would you put up with it online? If you come across something that makes you uneasy, don’t be afraid to ask a big sibling or a parent for some advice too.
If you need some more tips on playing it safe online, Facebook has a great safety page that can help you. Check it out and then why not become our Facebook fan too?