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Ages 8+ · Digital Life · Staying safe
Messages from strangers
🚪door📨message🧑grown-up🙋stranger
Know them? Open the door. Don't know them? Get a grown-up.
The big ideaDo not reply or accept a stranger's message. Show a grown-up.

How it works

A message from someone you do not know is like a knock at the door.

At home you do not open the door to someone you do not know. You get a grown-up, and online it is just the same.

Three steps: do not reply, do not accept, show a grown-up.

A reply tells them a real person is reading. Accepting lets them see more of you and message you whenever they like.

Do not replyDo not acceptShow a grown-up
The three steps.
Show a grown-up• Asks which school you go to• Asks for your phone number• Asks you to chat on another app• Asks for a photo of you• 'Keep this a secret'Fine to answer• Gran says dinner is at six• A cake photo from your cousin• Your teacher gives homework
Show a grown-up, or fine to answer?

Example 1: 'I am ten too, add me!'

  1. A person you have never met says they are ten and asks you to accept.
  2. Anyone can type ten.
  3. Do not accept and do not reply. Show a grown-up.

Example 2: 'I am a friend of Tessa's'

  1. A message says the person knows Tessa.
  2. Anyone can say they know us. Saying it does not make it true.
  3. Ask a grown-up to check.

Example 3: A cake photo from your cousin

  1. Your cousin in the family chat sends a cake photo.
  2. You know your cousin, so this is fine to answer.

Example 4: Check the settings

  1. Mom checked the settings together with Tessa.
  2. Now only people the family knows can message her.
  3. Together, they agree what to do if a stranger writes.

Words to know

stranger
Someone you have never met.
accept
To say yes to a friend request, so they can see more of you.
reply
To write back. It tells them a real person is reading.
sign
A clue in a message that says to show a grown-up.

Watch out

Try it

  1. A stranger writes 'Hi, I am ten, add me!' What do you do?
  2. Why not reply 'Hello' to a stranger?
  3. A message says 'Keep this a secret from your mom.' What do you do?
  4. Is a message from Gran saying dinner is at six fine to answer?
Answers: 1. Do not accept, show a grown-up · 2. It shows a real person is reading · 3. Show a grown-up · 4. Yes
Try at homeAsk a grown-up who can message you in the apps you use. Check the settings together, and agree what you do if a stranger writes.
For grown-upsAsk together who can message your child in each app, check those settings, and agree what your child does if a stranger writes.
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