We think the following message is an important one for all families. 

We use the internet to communicate and socialise with friends by posting messages, photos and other information. Maintaining our online privacy depends on our ability to control the amount of personal information that we provide and who has access to that information. Once information is posted on the internet it can be very hard, if not impossible, to completely remove.

When using social networking, we need to work with our young people to ensure they:

· Carefully choose how much personal information they post or share online

· Use privacy settings and categories such as ‘friends only' to limit who can see their information

· Don't put date of birth, their mother's maiden name or contact details on their page

· Think before they upload

· Get consent from friends and family before posting information or photos about them

· Be wary of strangers

· Read the privacy policy regularly.

To help us with setting privacy settings and understanding the pros and cons of location settings for example, the Staying Safe Online Guide helps people of all ages.

This Guide – available for download in PDF format in different languages – contains simple and practical tips from some of the most popular digital platforms. Each of the tips are proven to be effective in reducing risk and encouraging safety, to ensure all New Zealand internet users can use the internet in a positive way.

https://www.netsafe.org.nz/staying-safe-online/