Senior Section web safe code

The world wide web can be a tricky business. Read our hints and tips on getting the best from the internet. 

The Internet

Dont arrange to meet up with anyone you contact on the web. If you really have to, make sure that you take a responsible friend with you and that you meet in a public place during the day. If you are concerned about a guiding group that you come across or have any other child protection concerns please report your concerns to Girlguiding UKs Membership Support Services Manager on 020 7592 1730 or email confidentialrecords@girlguiding.org.uk.

Social networking websites

If you are between 13 and 17 years old, then you need to have parental permission before you set up a profile with a social networking website like Bebo, Facebook or YouTube.

Make sure that your profile is set to private. You dont want anyone reading all the private gossip on your page!

Only accept friends that you actually know. If you get a friend request from someone you dont know, dont accept them.

Dont publish or give out any of your personal details, including name, address and telephone number.

Be careful about publish pictures or videos of you and your friends. Make sure that these pictures/videos can be seen by the people you want to see them. You dont want random people you dont know commenting on them, or copying them and using them themselves!

We understand that units and certain groups may want to create groups or pages. When setting up your group, make sure that you adjust your privacy settings to moderate who can become a member of your group and only invite/accept people who you know. Your group should be closed or secret, so that no one can see who belongs to your group unless they are a member. None of the groups currently on social networking websites have been set up or endorsed by Girlguiding UK so there is no guarantee that it contains genuine Girlguiding UK members.

Think about what you use as your profile picture. You dont want random people knowing your name and what you look like! Maybe you could use a picture of your favourite pop star or cartoon character? If you are a whizz with digital imagery, you could create your own unique design?

Chat rooms

If you chat to someone online and you dont like what they are saying to you, copy and paste the text and save it to Word or Notepad. Alternatively, you can press the Print Screen button on your keyboard and paste the picture of your screen into an Image editor, like Paint or Photoshop. Inform the moderator if you feel uncomfortable about a conversation. If you find yourself in an unpleasant situation in a chat room you can log out, tell a moderator or change your screen name.

Email

Think about what you are doing before you forward on chain mail. Chain mail is any type of email that asks you to forward it on to your friends. Dont forward on chain mail, you wont die/find your true love/have all your wishes come true by sending it on. If you were upset by it, think about those poor friends that you are sending it on to. Always think about what you have said before you press the send button, especially if you are angry. If you are sending a stroppy email, type it out then save it. Open up the email again the next day to see if you still feel the same. You might feel differently once youve cooled down.

Text messaging

Dont give out your mobile number to anyone other than your family and friends If you send pictures to people, be aware that they can forward the picture on to others. Dont take pictures of things that people could find upsetting or hurtful. Make sure that your Bluetooth is off, or if you want to keep it on, make sure you adjust your privacy settings so that no one can hack in to your phone and steal your pics! An easy way to do this is to change your password from the standard 0000.

Pre-warranted Young Leaders and adult Leaders can download a copy of Girlguiding UKs Social Networking Guidelines from the Online Safety page in the secure Members area. The guidelines are also available in the Online Safety area of the Information for Parents section. If you want to know more about keeping yourself safe online, take a look at the Think U Know website.