Chapter 2: Staying Safe Online

Staying Safe Online 🛡️🔒

Why We Need Online Safety

The internet is a wonderful place to learn, play, and explore — but staying safe is the most important rule when we go online. Just like we follow safety rules in real life — looking both ways before crossing the street or wearing a helmet while riding a bike — we must also follow safety rules on our devices.

When we use the internet, we need to think carefully about what we share and who we talk to.

Keeping Private Information Safe

There are some things that are fine to share, such as our first name or our favorite snack. These facts help us talk to friends and play games in a fun way. But some information is called private information because it belongs only to us and should be protected.

Private information includes:

Our last name
Our home address
Our phone number
Our passwords

These are things we should never type into games or websites unless a trusted grown-up says it’s okay. If someone we don’t know online asks questions about us or wants us to share private information, we should stop right away and tell an adult.

Passwords Are Secret

Passwords are another important way we stay safe. A password is like a secret key that unlocks our accounts and keeps our work, games, and learning tools safe.

Only parents and teachers should know our passwords. We should never share them with friends — even if they ask nicely — because someone else could pretend to be us online, and that could cause a problem we don’t want.

Clicking Carefully

Sometimes the internet tries to trick us. We might see a big flashing button that says, “Click here for a free prize!” or a pop-up that tells us we won something we never even signed up for. These tricks are meant to make us click without thinking.

That is why we must click carefully. When we see something new online and we’re not sure what it is, the safest choice is to stop and ask a grown-up before tapping anything.

If Something Feels Wrong, Ask for Help

Even when we are being careful, we might still come across something that makes us feel confused, worried, or uncomfortable. It could be a strange message, a picture that doesn’t seem right, or something that asks us too many questions.

If that happens, the very best thing we can do is tell an adult we trust — like a parent, teacher, or another family member who takes care of us. We should never feel scared to ask for help. That’s what adults are there for — to keep us safe.

Being a Safe Digital Citizen

Being safe online helps us have more fun, learn new things, and enjoy technology without fear. When we remember to:

Protect our private information
Keep our passwords secret
Click wisely
Ask for help when needed

…we become strong digital citizens who take care of ourselves and others.

📖 Sam and the Tricky Pop-Up

Sam was playing his favorite learning game when a big colorful box appeared on the screen. It flashed in bright letters: “YOU WON! Enter your name and address to claim your prize!”

Sam’s heart jumped. A prize! His fingers moved toward the keyboard.

But then he remembered what his teacher had said. “If something pops up that asks for your information, stop and ask a grown-up first.”

Sam pushed his chair back and called out, “Mom, can you come look at something?”

His mom walked over, looked at the screen, and shook her head. “Sam, this is a trick. It wants your information to cause problems. Let’s close it.”

She closed the pop-up and gave Sam a hug. “You did exactly the right thing by asking me first.”

Sam smiled. He hadn’t won a prize — but he had made a smart, safe choice, and that felt even better.

Think About It! 🤔

What kinds of information should you keep private online?
Why is it important never to share your password with a friend?
What should you do if something on the internet makes you feel uncomfortable?