Connecting With People Online
The internet can be a great place to connect with people we know. Lots of people now use the internet to meet new people too. The internet makes this so easy for us through things like social media, dating apps, chat rooms, and messaging apps. Unfortunately, some people use the internet to take advantage of others. Whether you are using the internet to connect with people you already know, meet new friends, or are looking for something more, there are a few things you should know about. We’ve worked with Netsafe to help bring you some of their top tips for connecting with people online!
It is important to remember if something has happened to you online, you can reach out for help. Call Netsafe at 0508 638 723 for free advice on what you can do.
Safe online relationships
Having online friendships or relationships should always be respectful. You have a right to feel safe and choose who you interact with online. Whether you met them in person first, or you only know them from online, there are some things that someone should never do online:
Message mean things to you
Threaten you
Expect you to always be available
Expect you to reply straight away, every time
Create fake accounts to trick you or message people you know
Meeting up in person
If you have met someone on the internet, you may eventually want to meet up with them in person. There are a few things you can do to keep yourself safe when meeting a new person from the internet:
Get to know them first. Spend time getting to know them online first to make sure they are who you think they are.
Choose a public meeting place. Plan what to do if something doesn’t feel right when you meet them so you can leave easily and safely.
Tell someone where you are going. Let someone you trust know where you will be, and when you will be home.
Organize your own transport there. Make sure you have your own way of getting there and getting home so if something doesn’t feel right, you aren’t stuck with the person.
Catfishing
Catfishing is when a person pretends to be someone they aren’t on the internet. People do this for a range of reasons, including trying to scam you, get you in trouble, or to get something from you. It can be hard to tell who is real and who isn’t on the internet, but some ways you can spot a catfish are:
Be picky. Check over their profile before you connect with them and make sure they are who they say they are.
Look for warning signs. Keep an eye out for anything that doesn’t quite look right, things like their profile being new, them not having many other friends, an unclear profile picture, or no pictures of themselves.
Look out for dodgy behaviour. Things like messaging you constantly, moving the conversation too fast and getting too personal, or asking for things like nudes or money from you.
Video chat them. Ask to video call the person to see if they are really who the person in their profile picture.
Reverse Google search. You can use this tool to upload a photo and check whether it is anywhere else on the internet, this can help you work out if someone is using fake pictures.
Think before you share. Think about what personal information you want to share, as a catfish might share that information publicly.
You can read more about Catfishing at Netsafe.
Sexting
Sexting is when you send sexual messages or nude pictures to another person. Some people might sext because they trust the other person and are proud of their body, but other times people might be pressured into sexting. It is never okay to be pressured into sexting, it should be something you choose to do or not do. Sexting gets talked about a lot, and it can seem like everyone is doing it, but in reality, it is a lot less common than what many people think. If you are wanting to sext it is important to understand the risks too, these are some things to keep in mind about sexting:
Was this your idea? If you feel uncomfortable or someone has talked you into sexting, choose a different way to express yourself.
Where could this end up? Once you send a picture or message it can be hard to control whether it gets shared.
You can read more about Nudes at Netsafe. If you have shared a nude and regretted it, received an unwanted nude, or someone has shared nude pictures of you without your permission you can contact Netsafe on 0508 638 723 for free advice.
