NetSmart Junior
SO IT HAPPENED TO YOU!
Navigating through the internet and especially social media isn’t always a safe experience, and there are a lot of unforeseen perils that minor users may encounter, such as scams, bullying, and even stalking. This is a serious social issue that we can observe in our physical life here and there, but when it comes to the digital space, we must educate users to be “Street Smart”.
A Guide for Minors to Exercise Street-Smart Behavior in Digital Spaces
HIDDEN DANGERS
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ALL Digital Platforms can Pose a Risk
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Posing the threat of predators, exploitation
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Private messaging DOES NOT MEAN private
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Be cautious of accounts that PM/DM you without reason
WHAT NOT TO SHARE ONLINE
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Home address or location
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Banking details
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Social or legal IDS
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Lifestyle photos that give clues to your routine or school
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“Reactionary Posting”
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Once you post, its there forever. If emotional, think it through before posting as it can impact your life
WHO TO TRUST, AND WHO NOT TO?
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Messages from unknown people asking for personal info or photos
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Someone who is overly persistent or wants to move conversations to private platforms quickly
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A person who refuses to show their real identity (no video calls, fake photos, etc.)
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Sudden romantic or emotional manipulation ("love bombing" early on)
ALARMING SIGNS TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR
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Emails or DMs with urgent messages ("Your account is locked!", "Act now!")
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Links that lead to lookalike websites asking for login or payment info
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Misspelled URLs, strange email addresses, or odd grammar
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Attachments or files from people you don’t know
WHEN CYBERBULLYING HAPPENS
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Stay calm and avoid responding emotionally
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Take screenshots of messages or posts as evidence
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Block the bully on all platforms
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Report the behavior to the app, school, or authority
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Talk to someone you trust (parent, teacher, friend)
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Secure your accounts (change passwords, enable 2FA)
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Adjust privacy settings to limit unwanted contact
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Take a break from social media if needed
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Seek emotional support if you're feeling overwhelmed
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Support others who may also be experiencing bullying
WHEN STALKING HAPPENS
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Trust your instincts — take any stalking behavior seriously
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Avoid direct confrontation with the stalker
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Document everything — save messages, take screenshots, keep a log of incidents
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Block and report the stalker on all platforms
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Do not share your location online (turn off location tags in apps)
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Strengthen your privacy settings on social media and review friend lists
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Tell someone you trust — a friend, family member, school staff, or coworker
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Contact local authorities if you feel unsafe or threatened
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Consider a protection order if the stalking continues or escalates
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Reach out for support — mental health professionals or victim advocacy organizations can help
PASSWORD PROTECTION
Making a secure, easy-to-remember password is easy!
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Pick 4 words, for example, “Correct”, “Horse”, “Battery,” and “Staple.”
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Make sure the words aren’t related to each other.
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Capitalize the beginning of each word, and combine them into one. (Some websites force you to use a special character).
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You can end the word with a period or an exclamation point.
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Don’t use well-known or common phrases/idioms/quotes, as they are easy to guess.
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Also, be sure to set up 2 Factor Authentication.
Here is a good, secure password example:
“CorrectHorseBatteryStaple!”
WHAT TO DO IF I GET HACKED, AND HOW TO TELL?
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Beware of suspicious logins from locations you aren’t in.
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Don’t give your passwords to anyone, even people you trust. Companies will never email you asking for your password.
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Check https://haveibeenpwned.com/ frequently to see if your email is in a data breach.
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Immediately change your password.
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Call the company and inform them that you were hacked.