Internet & Identity · lesson 3 of 17 · 15 min
Safe vs. unsafe places online
The internet is an amazing place full of games, videos, books, and ways to talk to friends. But just like in the real world, some places online are safe and some are not. Learning to tell the difference is one of the most important skills you can have.
A safe place online is a website or app that is honest about what it does, does not try to trick you, and has been approved by a trusted adult like a parent or teacher. An unsafe place might try to steal your information, show you things you should not see, or trick you into doing something you would not normally do.
Golden rule: If something online makes you feel uncomfortable, confused, or excited in a way that feels too good to be true — stop and talk to a trusted adult before doing anything else.
Signs a place online is SAFE
- A trusted adult recommended it
- Your parent, teacher, or school approved it
- It has a padlock (HTTPS)
- The connection is secure
- It does not ask for personal info
- No requests for your address, phone, or school
- It is from a well-known company
- Like BBC, Khan Academy, or National Geographic Kids
- It has clear rules about privacy
- It explains how it uses your information
- It does not have lots of pop-ups
- Legitimate sites do not bombard you with ads
Warning signs — this place might be UNSAFE
- It offers prizes that seem too good
- “You won a free phone! Click here!” — this is almost always a trick
- It asks for personal information
- Your full name, address, school, or phone number
- It asks for your password
- Legitimate sites never ask for your password in a pop-up
- It has lots of flashing pop-ups
- Designed to confuse and trick you into clicking
- The URL looks strange
- Like “g00gle.com” instead of “google.com”
- It makes you feel scared or rushed
- “Act now or your account will be deleted!” — this is a scare tactic
What to do if you find an unsafe place
If you accidentally visit a website that feels wrong, or if something online makes you uncomfortable, here is exactly what to do:
- 1
- Stop what you are doing
Do not click anything else on the page.
- 2
- Close the tab or window
Press the X button to close the page.
- 3
- Tell a trusted adult
Tell a parent, teacher, or another adult you trust — right away.
- 4
- Do not feel embarrassed
It is not your fault. Unsafe websites are designed to trick even adults.
Key words to remember
- Safe website
- Pop-up
- Scam
- Trusted adult
Safe or unsafe? Match each sign to the correct category
Safe vs. unsafe online — quiz
A website offers you a free gaming console if you enter your home address. What should you do?
- Enter your address — free stuff is great!
- Stop and ask a trusted adult
- Give a fake address
- Share it with all your friends
Answer: Stop and ask a trusted adult
Offers that seem too good to be true are almost always scams. Always ask a trusted adult before entering any information.
Which of these is a sign a website is probably safe?
- It has lots of flashing pop-ups
- It asks for your password in a pop-up
- Your teacher recommended it
- It offers free prizes
Answer: Your teacher recommended it
Websites recommended by trusted adults like teachers are much more likely to be safe.
If a website makes you feel scared or rushed, it is probably trying to trick you.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Scammers use fear and urgency to make you act without thinking. “Act now or your account will be deleted!” is a classic scare tactic.
You accidentally visit a website that feels wrong. What is the FIRST thing you should do?
- Keep browsing to find out more
- Stop and close the page
- Tell all your friends about it
- Enter your information to see what happens
Answer: Stop and close the page
Stop immediately and close the page. Then tell a trusted adult.
A website asks for your full name, school, and home address. What should you do?
- Fill it in — websites need this information
- Stop and ask a trusted adult before entering anything
- Enter a fake name but your real address
- Ignore it and keep browsing
Answer: Stop and ask a trusted adult before entering anything
Never enter personal information like your name, school, or address without checking with a trusted adult first.
It is your fault if you accidentally visit an unsafe website.
- True
- False
Answer: False
It is NOT your fault. Unsafe websites are designed by clever people to trick even adults. The important thing is to close the page and tell a trusted adult.
What is a pop-up?
- A type of safe website
- A window that suddenly appears on your screen
- A kind of password
- A type of browser
Answer: A window that suddenly appears on your screen
Pop-ups are windows that suddenly appear, often trying to get you to click something. Many pop-ups on unsafe sites are designed to trick you.
Which URL looks suspicious?
Answer: https://g00gle.com
“g00gle.com” uses zeros instead of the letter O — it is trying to look like Google but is a fake site. Always check URLs carefully.
After closing an unsafe website, what should you do next?
- Nothing — just forget about it
- Tell a trusted adult what happened
- Visit the website again to check
- Tell your friends to visit it
Answer: Tell a trusted adult what happened
Always tell a trusted adult — a parent or teacher — when you encounter something unsafe online. They can help and make sure you are okay.
A website with lots of flashing pop-ups is probably a safe, trustworthy site.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Lots of flashing pop-ups are a warning sign. Legitimate, trustworthy websites do not bombard you with pop-ups.
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