Keep personal information private — Civics, 4–6
Some information belongs to you and should be shared only with a trusted adult or a safe service.
Personal information
Personal information is a detail that can help someone recognise, find or contact you. Your full name, home address, school, phone number, password and a photo can all be personal information. You can share some details with trusted adults, but not with everyone who asks.
Why privacy protects you
People need information to help you, but the wrong person could use it to find you, pretend to be you or bother you. That is why families and schools teach children to pause before sharing. Privacy is not hiding something bad; it is choosing who really needs to know.
What to do with a message
A message says, “Send your name, address and a photo to win a toy.” First, stop; do not reply or tap the link. Next, show the message to a trusted adult. Then delete or report it with the adult’s help. You have kept private information away from a stranger.
A friendly question can still be unsafe
You may think a person is safe because they use a kind voice, a cartoon picture or your name. That is a reasonable guess: friendly people often do sound friendly. But appearance and words do not prove who someone is. Check with a trusted adult before sharing.
Privacy in daily life
Privacy matters at home, school, on a phone and in a shop. Ask before taking or showing someone’s photo, and never repeat a private story just because it sounds interesting. If a message or person makes you feel worried, tell a trusted adult straight away.
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