Safe vs. unsafe sharing
Sharing online can be really fun — posting about your favourite game, telling friends about a cool book, or sharing a funny story. But before you share anything online, it is important to stop and think. Once something is posted on the internet, it can spread very quickly and be very hard — sometimes impossible — to take back.
The good news is that there is a simple way to check whether something is safe to share. Just ask yourself three questions before you post anything.
The 3 questions to ask before sharing:
- Is it kind? Would this hurt someone’s feelings? Would I be okay if someone said this about me?
- Is it safe? Does it include personal information like my name, address, school, or photo?
- Is it true? Am I sure this is accurate? Sharing false information can hurt people. The golden rule of sharing: If you would not want your parent or teacher to see it, do not post it. Imagine your teacher is looking over your shoulder every time you are about to share something online.
Safe to share vs. not safe to share
✅ Safe to share
- Your favourite game character
- A drawing or artwork you made
- Your favourite book or movie
- A funny joke (that is not mean)
- Your thoughts on a topic (without personal details)
🚫 Not safe to share
- A photo of yourself at school
- Your home address or phone number
- Mean comments about someone
- Someone else’s personal information
- Something you are not sure is true
Why photos can be risky
Photos seem harmless, but they can reveal a lot of information without you realising it. A photo of you at school shows your face AND your school location. A photo in front of your house might show your street. Even a photo of your bedroom could show personal items like trophies with your name on them.
Before posting any photo online, think about what information it might accidentally reveal. Always ask a trusted adult before posting photos of yourself.
Did you know? Photos taken on smartphones often contain hidden information called metadata — including the exact location where the photo was taken. This can tell strangers exactly where you live or go to school!
Once it is online, it stays online
One of the most important things to understand about the internet is that information spreads very quickly. Even if you delete something, someone might have already saved it, taken a screenshot, or shared it with others.
This is called your digital footprint — the trail of information you leave behind every time you do something online. Think carefully about what you want your digital footprint to look like.
Key words to remember
- Sharing
- Digital footprint
- Metadata
- Screenshot
Safe or not safe? Match each example
Safe vs. unsafe sharing — quiz
You want to post a photo of yourself at school. Is this safe to share publicly?
- Yes, photos are always fine
- No — it shows your face and school location
- Yes, if it looks nice
- Only if your friends are in it too
Answer: No — it shows your face and school location
Photos of yourself at school reveal both your appearance and your location — keep these private.
Which of these is safe to share in an online game chat?
- Your home address
- Your phone number
- Your favourite game character
- Your school schedule
Answer: Your favourite game character
Sharing your favourite game character is fun and does not reveal personal information.
What are the 3 questions to ask before sharing something online?
- Is it fast, is it free, is it fun?
- Is it kind, is it safe, is it true?
- Is it long, is it short, is it interesting?
- Is it mine, is it new, is it cool?
Answer: Is it kind, is it safe, is it true?
Before sharing anything online, ask: Is it kind? Is it safe? Is it true? If the answer to any of these is no, do not share it.
If you delete something you posted online, it is completely gone forever.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Once something is online, others may have saved it, screenshotted it, or shared it. Deleting your copy does not remove all copies.
What is a digital footprint?
- A type of computer virus
- The trail of information you leave behind online
- A kind of password
- A photo filter
Answer: The trail of information you leave behind online
Your digital footprint is everything you do online — posts, searches, comments. Think carefully about what you want it to look like.
What hidden information can photos taken on smartphones contain?
- Your password
- Metadata including the location where the photo was taken
- Your school grades
- Your search history
Answer: Metadata including the location where the photo was taken
Smartphone photos often contain metadata — hidden information including the exact GPS location where the photo was taken.
It is okay to share someone else’s personal information online if they are your friend.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Never share someone else’s personal information without their permission — even if they are your friend. It could put them at risk.
The golden rule of sharing says: if you would not want ___ to see it, do not post it.
- A stranger
- Your parent or teacher
- Your best friend
- A robot
Answer: Your parent or teacher
Imagine your parent or teacher is looking over your shoulder every time you are about to share something online.
Which of these is NOT safe to share online?
- A drawing you made
- Your favourite movie
- A mean comment about a classmate
- A funny joke that is not mean
Answer: A mean comment about a classmate
Mean comments are unkind and can hurt people. They also stay online and can be seen by many people — including teachers and parents.
What is a screenshot?
- A type of computer virus
- A saved image of what is on a screen
- A kind of password
- A type of website
Answer: A saved image of what is on a screen
A screenshot saves an image of whatever is on the screen. Once someone takes a screenshot of something you posted, you cannot delete their copy.