What is private information?
Computer Science · Key Stage 1 · The School
Private means keep it to yourself
Private information is information that should not go to strangers. Your full name and address. Your school's name. Your password. Photos that show where you live. Once shared online, this information can be seen and kept by people you will never meet.
What is usually fine to share
Some things are usually fine to share online. Your favourite colour. Your favourite animal. A game you enjoy. A drawing you made. These do not tell a stranger where to find you, so sharing them is a very different thing from sharing your address.
Friendly does not mean safe
A message can be friendly and still be from someone you should not trust with private information. Kind words do not prove who someone really is online. Ask yourself what is being shared, not just how nice the message sounds.
Sorting a list of information
Sort this list: your first name, your home address, your favourite football team, your school's name, your pet's name, your password. Favourite team and pet's name are usually fine to share. Your first name alone is usually fine too. But your home address, your school's name and your password should always stay private, because together with a first name they could help a stranger find or contact you.
When in doubt, ask
If you are not sure whether something is private, do not share it yet. Ask a trusted adult first. It takes a moment to ask. It cannot be undone once something private has been shared online. Always ask before you share.