Keeping personal information safe — Computing, 4–6 years
Some information belongs only to you and trusted adults, so sharing it needs care. Computing, 4–6 years.
Some information is private
Personal information is something that tells others about you, such as your full name, home, school, face or where you are. It is not a secret because it is shameful; it is private because it can help someone recognise or find you. Share it online only with a trusted adult’s help.
Why protect it?
Computers make sharing quick, but a picture or name can travel further than we expect and may be hard to take back. Safety rules grew from the problem of people being contacted, copied or found without wanting that. Asking first gives a trusted adult a chance to check who will receive it.
A safe picture choice
A game asks Ana to add a photo. First, she notices that the picture shows her school badge and the street outside her home. Next, she does not upload it and tells a trusted adult. Together they choose a picture with no private details, or decide not to share one.
Private does not mean bad
Some people think they must hide information because they have done something wrong. That is a reasonable thought when adults say “keep it secret”, but privacy is about control, not guilt. You can ask for help, and you should tell a trusted adult if someone pressures you to share or to keep an unsafe secret.
Pause and ask
This idea helps with games, video calls, websites and messages. Before sharing a name, face, place or school, pause and ask a trusted adult. If something online makes you worried, stop using it and tell someone; you do not need to solve the problem alone.
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