Garda Barbara Kelly our Community Liaison Officer from Ashbourne Garda Station spoke to our 4th classes in relation to staying safe online and issues relating to online bullying. Her message to the children was to tell a friend, a parent or a teacher if they have any issues. She advised the children on ways to stay safe online by looking at the Be kind Online Programme.

Protecting Yourself Online
There are simple steps you can take to protect yourself online: #BeInCtrl:

#Control – No regrets – Keep control of what you share online and with whom. A person you only know online may not be what they claim to be. Anything you send to someone, post online or do over a webcam can be saved/recorded without your knowledge. These images can then be shared anywhere and with anyone.

#Trustworthy – A friend of a friend? Don’t accept friend requests from someone you don’t know. If someone online says they are a friend of a friend, exercise caution – it is easy to post fake photos or stream a fake video, ask your friend if they have met them in person.

#Reality Check – Be aware of your online presence – think about how your online profile makes you appear to others.

#Location – Put your safety first – don’t share your location or meet up with someone you have only met online. Keep your private stuff private – don’t share private information such as your address, phone number or school, and use the maximum privacy settings on your social media accounts.