2016-07-30
BIK team
A true friend supports us in both good and bad times, is someone who knows us well and who we can trust. However, in the digital era, the definition of friend may be changing: for example, we may have 500 ‘friends' in our social networks but would we agree that all those people with access to our Facebook, Instagram or other social network profiles are not all our close friends, but rather acquaintances or friends or friends? In this sense, is the internet changing our perception of friendship?
It is important for all of us, but especially children and young people, to be aware of how to protect our privacy online and to exercise caution over connecting with people we do not know in real life.
‘Think about your online contacts' is a decision tree developed by the Insafe Helplines network which raises awareness of online ‘friends', encouraging young users to think about their online contacts and how they can use privacy controls to protect their personal information.
For further online safety resources consult the Better Internet for Kids gallery of resources.
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BIK Team