How to Stay Safe Online: The Rules That Actually Matter
Almost everything online is fine. A small amount is not, and the whole skill is knowing when to stop and go and find a grown-up.
The whole idea, in one diagram
If something makes you feel worried, scared or uncomfortable: stop, do not reply, tell a grown-up.
Your address, your school, your passwords and your photos are yours. They are not for sharing.
You will never be in trouble for telling an adult about something online. Not ever.
What problem did it solve?
When people mostly met face to face, you could see who you were talking to. A stranger looked like a stranger, and a shop had a door, a street and a person standing behind the counter.
The internet let anybody reach anybody, instantly and anonymously. That is wonderful for learning, for friends far away and for building things together.
It also means a person or a message can pretend to be anything at all. So we all learned a set of habits, and those habits are what this page is about.
How it started
- 1961 to 1962
The first password, stolen almost immediately
π€ A team at MIT, USA
One of the first computer passwords was created so people could share a machine. Within about a year a researcher printed out the whole list of passwords to get extra time on it.
Why it mattered: Passwords were broken almost as soon as they were invented. Sixty years later, weak and reused passwords are still the most common way people get into trouble.
- 1978
The first spam message
π€ A marketer on the early network, USA
One advertisement sent to hundreds of people who had not asked for it. People were annoyed at once and said so loudly.
Why it mattered: Unwanted messages arrived almost at the beginning. Nearly every scam you will ever see starts as a message you did not ask for.
- 1988
The first worm to spread across the internet
π€ A student, Robert Tappan Morris
A program meant to count computers had a mistake in it, copied itself far too eagerly, and slowed thousands of machines to a crawl.
Why it mattered: It was the first time the whole network realised it could be harmed. The first emergency response team for computer security was created straight afterwards.
- 1990s
Pretending to be someone you trust
π€ Early online criminals
Instead of breaking into a computer, people found it far easier to send a message pretending to be a bank or a friend and simply ask for the password.
Why it mattered: This is still the most common attack in the world. Almost all of it works by rushing you or frightening you into acting before you think.
- 2000s
Everyone gets a camera and a public voice
π€ Phones and social media
Sharing a photo or a thought with the whole world became a single tap, and things shared online turned out to be very difficult to take back.
Why it mattered: Being unkind became easier and more permanent. So did being kind, which is worth remembering too.
- Today
Fakes that look real
π€ Anyone with an AI tool
Computers can now produce pictures, voices and video of things that never happened, quickly and cheaply.
Why it mattered: Seeing is no longer believing. Where something came from now matters as much as what it shows, which is a genuinely new skill for everybody.
Who made it happen
Fernando CorbatΓ³
1926 to 2019 Β· USA
Led the team behind one of the first computer passwords in the 1960s. He later said passwords had become a nightmare.
Robert Tappan Morris
born 1965 Β· USA
Wrote the 1988 worm, as a student, without meaning to cause harm. It taught the whole internet that security mattered.
Susan Landau
born 1954 Β· USA
A researcher who explains why strong encryption protects ordinary people, and advises governments on getting the balance right.
Parisa Tabriz
born 1983 Β· USA
Leads security work on a major web browser. Her job title has included Security Princess, and her team's work protects billions of people.
Radia Perlman
born 1951 Β· USA
A network inventor who has argued for decades that systems should be designed so that ordinary people cannot easily get them wrong.
The habits that keep you safe
- 1
Make passwords long, not clever
Three random words joined together, like otter-lamp-biscuit, is far stronger than P4ssw0rd and much easier to remember. Never use the same one twice, because if one place is broken into, every other place using it is now open.
- 2
Keep the private things private
Your home address, your school, your phone number, your passwords and photos of yourself are yours. Nobody who is genuinely your friend needs them from a chat window.
- 3
Slow down when something feels urgent
Scams work by rushing you. Act now, you have won, your account will be deleted, do not tell anyone. Any message that wants you to hurry or to keep a secret is the message to be most careful about.
- 4
Remember people can pretend
Online, anybody can claim to be any age, any name, anything at all. Someone who is kind and interested and wants to talk only to you, in private, is worth mentioning to a grown-up.
- 5
Stop, do not reply, tell
If anything makes you feel worried, scared or uncomfortable, put the screen down, do not answer, and go and tell a grown-up you trust. You are not in trouble. You have done the right thing.
- 6
Be the person you would want to meet
Words online land on a real person with real feelings, and they last far longer than words said out loud. If you would not say it to their face, do not type it.
You will never be in trouble for telling a grown-up about something online. Scammers and unkind people rely on you keeping it to yourself, which is exactly why telling someone breaks their plan.
Make a family password: a silly word that only your household knows. If anyone ever contacts you claiming to be from your family, or asks you to go somewhere, they should know it. It costs nothing, it takes one minute, and it works.
Quiz: how much did you remember?
Quiz time!
10 questions, picked at random from 30. No sign-in and no score is kept. Play as many times as you like, the questions change every time.
Questions about staying safe online
What is the most important online safety rule?
If something makes you feel worried, scared or uncomfortable: stop, do not reply, and tell a grown-up you trust. That single rule covers almost every situation you will meet.
Will I get in trouble if I tell an adult about something online?
No. This is the most important thing on this page. Grown-ups would far rather hear about something and help than find out later. People who want to harm children rely on children staying quiet.
What makes a good password?
Length beats cleverness. Three random words joined together is strong and easy to remember, and far better than a short word with numbers swapped in. The other rule is never to use the same password in two places.
What should I never share online?
Your home address, your school, your phone number, your passwords, and photos of yourself, especially in a uniform that shows where you go. Nobody who is genuinely a friend needs any of that from a chat window.
How do I spot a scam?
Look for a rush and a secret. Act now, you have won a prize, your account will be closed, do not tell anyone. Real organisations do not behave that way, and they never mind you checking with an adult first.
Is everyone online who they say they are?
Not always. Most people are, and some are not. Anybody can claim to be any age or any name. Someone who is very friendly, wants to chat only in private, and asks you to keep it secret is exactly the person to tell a grown-up about.
What should I do if someone is unkind to me online?
Do not answer back, because that usually makes it worse. Take a screenshot so there is a record, block them, and tell a grown-up. Being unkind online is not a normal part of being online, and you do not have to put up with it.
Can I believe a photo or video I see online?
Less than you used to be able to. Computers can now make pictures, voices and video of things that never happened. Ask where it came from and whether a source you trust is reporting the same thing.
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