Not everything on the net is what/who you think it is. To make sure you are using the net as safely as possible and so you don't get caught out, read these tips below.

• Set your profile to private and only add/accept people you have met in real life.
• If you are researching online, remember just because it is on the internet it doesn't mean that it's true! Check the author, assess if they have expertise to comment on the topic you are researching and the date of any research you come across to make sure it is legit.
• As you know photos can be manipulated so be careful of which photos you post of yourself because you don't know who has stored them and is looking at them.
• If someone you don't recognise starts to ask you questions like what sports team you are, in what you do in the weekends and things like that, stop talking to them and discuss what to do with someone, or block and unfriend them.
• Online friends are strangers until you have met them in real life: don't forget that. It may feel that you know someone a lot quicker when you talk to them over the net but it can pay to be wary as they may be lying about who they are.
• If you get an email saying you have won the lottery in another country, ignore it: it's not real! No one would tell you via an email that you have won the lottery. Read more about this and other scams http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/scams.
• If someone tries to blackmail you with things you have posted online like bitchy comments or photos, ignore them and get support from someone close to you if you are worried.