Cyber Explorer Skills · lesson 15 of 16 · 15 min
Helping a friend online
Being a good digital citizen means looking out for your friends online, not just yourself. If you see a friend making an unsafe choice or being treated badly, you can help — safely and responsibly. You do not have to handle the problem yourself, but you can guide your friend to the right resources and trusted adults.
Helping a friend online is an act of courage and kindness. It shows that you care about their wellbeing and that you take cybersecurity seriously. The skills you have learned are not just for protecting yourself — they are for protecting the people you care about too.
How to help a friend: Tell them what you noticed and why it concerns you. Encourage them to talk to a trusted adult. Offer to go with them if they are nervous. Do not share their private information with others.
How to help — step by step
- 1
- Notice
Pay attention to signs that a friend might be in trouble online — they seem upset, withdrawn, or secretive about their device.
- 2
- Talk to them
Privately tell your friend what you noticed and why you are concerned. Be kind and non-judgmental.
- 3
- Encourage help
Encourage them to tell a trusted adult. Offer to go with them if they are nervous about doing it alone.
- 4
- Respect privacy
Do not share your friend’s private information with others — even if you are trying to help.
- 5
- Tell an adult yourself
If the situation is serious and your friend will not get help, tell a trusted adult yourself. Their safety comes first.
What you can and cannot do
When helping a friend, there are things you can do and things that are beyond your responsibility:
- You can: Listen, encourage, offer to go with them, and tell a trusted adult if needed.
- You cannot: Fix the problem yourself, confront the person causing harm, or handle a serious situation alone.
The most important thing is to make sure your friend knows they are not alone and that help is available. Sometimes just knowing someone cares is enough to give them the courage to ask for help.
Key words to remember
- Upstander
- Encourage
- Privacy
- Trusted adult
- Signs of trouble
Match each helping step to its description
Helping a friend online — quiz
Your friend tells you someone online is sending them scary messages. What should you do?
- Tell them to ignore it
- Encourage them to tell a trusted adult and offer to go with them
- Message the person sending scary messages
- Share the messages with your other friends
Answer: Encourage them to tell a trusted adult and offer to go with them
Encouraging your friend to get adult help — and offering support — is the right response.
If a friend is being cyberbullied, you should handle the situation yourself without involving adults.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Serious online situations need adult involvement. Your role is to support your friend and encourage them to get help.
Your friend is making an unsafe choice online. What is the best first step?
- Ignore it — it is not your problem
- Privately tell them what you noticed and why you are concerned
- Tell everyone at school
- Take over their device
Answer: Privately tell them what you noticed and why you are concerned
A private, kind conversation is the best first step when you are concerned about a friend.
What should you do if a friend will not get help for a serious online situation?
- Give up — it is their choice
- Tell a trusted adult yourself — their safety comes first
- Handle the situation yourself
- Post about it online to get advice
Answer: Tell a trusted adult yourself — their safety comes first
If a friend will not get help for a serious situation, tell a trusted adult yourself. Safety comes first.
You should share a friend’s private information with others if you are trying to help them.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Respect your friend’s privacy even when helping. Share only with a trusted adult if necessary.
What is a sign that a friend might need help with an online situation?
- They are happy and talkative
- They seem upset, withdrawn, or secretive about their device
- They are playing a new game
- They got a new phone
Answer: They seem upset, withdrawn, or secretive about their device
Changes in behavior — seeming upset or secretive — can be signs that a friend is struggling online.
What can you do to help a nervous friend talk to a trusted adult?
- Force them to go
- Offer to go with them for support
- Tell the adult without your friend knowing
- Ignore their nervousness
Answer: Offer to go with them for support
Offering to go with a friend can give them the courage to ask for help.
Helping a friend online is an act of courage and kindness.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Standing up for a friend and helping them get support takes courage — it is one of the most important things you can do.
What is the most important thing to make sure a friend knows when they are in trouble online?
- That you will handle it for them
- That they are not alone and that help is available
- That they should delete their account
- That you will tell everyone at school
Answer: That they are not alone and that help is available
Knowing someone cares and that help is available can give a friend the courage to ask for it.
What is an upstander?
- Someone who ignores a friend in trouble
- Someone who takes action when they see a friend being treated badly
- Someone who reports every post they see
- Someone who handles problems alone
Answer: Someone who takes action when they see a friend being treated badly
An upstander takes action — they do not just watch or ignore when a friend needs help.
Try it: Helping a friend online
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