Think before you click’s main messages

• Refrain from being hurtful in

messages posted online • Report cyberbullying – to avoid cyberbullying, it is advised to keep personal information, such as phone number and email address private; familiarise yourself with privacy settings and make proper use of them • Be aware that what is uploaded remains in the public domain forever and may be abused to harm you or others • Your digital footprint also determines your public profile, based on information available on the internet • Say ‘no’ when asked to carry out something on the internet which you are not comfortable with • Do not feel bad or intimidated to stop a chat thread or refuse a friend request from someone unknown • Be aware that profiles may be false, showing they share friends in common to convince you they are trustworthy • If you become a victim of cyber abuse, it is strongly recommended not to retaliate, but to stop communicating with the person, keep a record of all the instances of abuse including copies of emails and messages as content can be taken down and inform the authorities concerned at once • If you need to talk to someone about online safety you can call the Helpline 179, send an email to 179.appogg@gov.mt or visit www.besmartonline.org.mt