Being online is super fun. You can play games, learn amazing facts and chat with people from all over the world. Really, you can do anything! Just remember to follow these rules to keep your time online fun and safe.
Never give out your personal information online.
This includes things like your name, school, city, phone number, email address and other information that people can use to figure out who you are.
Don’t use your real name as your username.
Anyone can see your username when you comment on the Wild Wire. We will try our best to catch these usernames before you post, but we aren’t perfect and might miss some.
Keep your password a secret.
Don’t give out your password to anyone except your parents or guardians.
Once you post something online, it stays online.
Remember that anyone who uses the internet can see whatever you post so think carefully about what you want to say before you post it.
Don’t download anything if you don’t know where it’s from.
Websites like Earth Rangers have some awesome members-only downloads available but other websites might have downloads that are harmful to your computer. Make sure you ask your parent or guardian if it’s ok to download something before you download it.
Be respectful of other people.
Don’t say anything that the hurt or anger other people. Just because you might not agree with someone, doesn’t mean you can be rude to them.
Keep your online friendships online.
EarthRangers.com is a great place for you to chat with other animal lovers like you. While you might think you know a person online, they can be completely different offline. If someone asks you to meet up offline, tell your parents or guardians.
If you feel unsafe, tell an adult.
If you ever feel uncomfortable while online, stop what you are doing, turn the screen off if you need to and get an adult. They will know what to do!
Follow your family’s internet rules.
If your family has a set of rules about computer time, make sure you always follow them first.
Ask your parents if it’s ok to buy (or donate) online.
Earth Rangers is free to use, but you can buy things through our e-store and make donations through Bring Back the Wild. If your parents aren’t ok with you buying or donating, don’t do it!
