Having online friends can be lots of fun – it’s always nice to have people to talk to or play games with but it’s really important that these friendships are positive and safe too.
First, think about…
How do you know this online friend?
Great! The internet is perfect for staying in touch with our offline friends – especially if they live a long way away or in another country.
It’s also a really exciting way to make plans with your friends, but make sure that you check with your parents or whoever looks after you before you agree to the final arrangements.
They will still want to know when and where you and your friend are meeting, so they can help you stay safe.
Sometimes people make friends online who they’ve never met before in person. For some people these can feel like really close friendships – they may spend lots of time chatting together or playing games, they may talk about things that are important to them, and they may feel like they really trust their online friend.
Unfortunately not everyone online is who they say they are and an online friend who you’ve never met before is still a stranger, even if you have been chatting to them for a long time.
This doesn’t mean you have to stop talking to them or that you can’t have fun online with them, it just means you have to be careful to always keep yourself safe. For example, you shouldn’t share any personal information with them.
Top Tips
If an online friend who you don’t know in person asks to meet up with you, it can be tricky to know what to say. However there’s two simple things to remember:
- Say no – you can be polite about this, but make sure it’s clear. “I’m sorry, I can’t” is a really simple response to give.
- Tell someone about the conversation. There’s lots of people you could tell. Whether it’s a parent or other adult at home, a teacher in school or a club leader, they can offer you help and support.
If an online friend …
- keeps asking to meet up
- wants you to share photos and videos of yourself
- isn’t taking no for an answer
Then they’re not being a good online friend. They’re not listening to you and they’re not showing you the respect that friends should do.
- If you’re on a game or social media, you can try blocking the person so they can’t contact you anymore or reporting them, so the site’s safety team can investigate their behaviour.
- Report them to CEOP. CEOP are the part of the police with the important job of stopping strangers online from trying to meet up with young people and possibly hurt them. To report someone to CEOP go to their website.