Personal information is any information that can show who you are. It can be used to identify you as a real person.

This includes things like your full name, home address, phone number, email address, date of birth, school name, and photos that show your face or where you are.

It is important to understand that sharing personal information online can put you at risk. In this lesson, we will learn why it is important to protect your personal information on the internet, and why you should not share it with just anyone.

Examples of Personal Information

• Full name
• Home address
• Telephone number
• Email address
• Date of birth
• School name or location
• Photos or videos that show who you are or where you are

Sharing personal information online can be dangerous. It is important to understand these risks so you can protect your privacy and safety.

In today’s digital world, information can spread very quickly and reach lots of people. Knowing about possible online dangers helps you make smart and responsible choices.

Below are the main risks of sharing personal information online. Each one is explained briefly here, and we will look at them more closely in the next parts of this lesson. Understanding these dangers will help you protect your personal information.

• Identity Theft: This is when someone uses your personal details to pretend to be you. This could cause problems with money or your reputation. Someone might try to get into your accounts, or even make new accounts using your name, which can take a long time to fix.
• Cyberbullying: This is when someone uses the internet to be mean, threaten, or embarrass others. If bullies know personal information, they might use it to target someone more directly and keep it going.
• Unwanted Contact from Strangers: If you share personal details, strangers might try to contact you. This can be unsafe, and it can become more serious if it is not dealt with quickly.
• Phishing Scams: These are tricks that try to fool you into giving away secret information. Scammers might pretend to be a real person or organisation so you trust them and share your details.

Identity theft is a serious crime. It happens when someone who is not allowed to gets your personal information and uses it to pretend to be you.

They might do things like open bank accounts, apply for loans, or buy things in your name without your permission. This can cause big problems, including losing money, harming your credit rating, and damaging your reputation.

How Identity Theft Happens

Identity thieves can get personal information in different ways. For example, they might hack into online accounts, steal data from unsafe websites, or trick people into sharing information. Once they have this information, they can use it to do dishonest things.

Consequences of Identity Theft

• Financial problems: You could end up with unexpected debts or have trouble getting credit.
• Reputational damage: Things someone does while pretending to be you can affect your personal and work life.
• Emotional distress: Fixing the problem can be stressful and take a lot of time.

Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft

To help protect yourself, it is important to use safe online habits. Here are some key steps:

1. Never share personal information, like your full name, address, or date of birth, on public websites or with people you do not know.
2. Use strong, different passwords for all your accounts, and turn on two-factor authentication when you can.
3. Be careful with emails or messages that ask for personal details. Check that the message is real before replying.
4. Check your accounts regularly for anything unusual, and report any worries right away to the correct authorities or organisations.

Cyberbullying is when someone uses technology (like phones, games, or social media) to be mean to another person. They might harass, threaten, or embarrass someone online.

Cyberbullying can happen in different ways, such as sending hurtful messages, spreading rumours, or sharing embarrassing photos without permission. Sharing personal information online can make it easier for cyberbullies to target you, because they might use your name, school, or location to make things worse.

How Cyberbullying Happens

Cyberbullies often use information people share on social media, gaming platforms, or forums. For example, if you post your full name or photos that show your daily routine, bullies might use that to make fake profiles or send threats aimed directly at you.

Sometimes cyberbullying happens anonymously, which can make it hard to know who is doing it straight away.

Consequences of Cyberbullying

• Emotional distress: You might feel anxious, depressed, or lose confidence in yourself.
• Social isolation: It can make it harder to make friends or join in with school activities.
• Long-term effects: It may affect schoolwork and your overall well-being.

Protecting Yourself from Cyberbullying

To lower the risk, it helps to use safe online habits. Here are some important steps:

1. Be careful about sharing personal information like your full name, address, or school details on public websites.
2. Change your privacy settings on social media so you can control who sees your posts and who can contact you.
3. Do not reply to suspicious or hostile messages, and do not try to “get back” at them, because it can make the situation worse.
4. If cyberbullying happens to you, tell a trusted adult straight away (like a parent, teacher, or school counsellor). They can help you block the bully, report it to the website or app, and get more support if needed.

Test your knowledge on avoiding unwanted contact from strangers with these real-life online scenarios. For each situation, choose the safest action to protect yourself. Select an option to get instant feedback and an explanation.