Social Skills for Staying Safe Online

The internet can be a valuable tool to help students with school work, connect with friends, and play games or download e-books. However, there are also dangers with being online. In this lesson module, we’re sharing tips to share with your students to help them stay safe online!

When teaching your students how to stay safe online, teach them to be SMART!

S = keep SAFE

M = don’t MEET

A = never ACCEPT

R = is it RELIABLE

T = always TELL

Keep SAFE: If someone online asks for any personal information, such as your full name, your address, or phone numbers, keep safe and keep that information private!
Don’t MEET: Never meet up with someone you met online without telling an adult. There are people online who are dishonest and may pretend to be someone else.
Never ACCEPT: Never accept emails, text messages, or downloads from anyone on the internet whom you do not know personally. Many emails or messages can contain viruses or will be seeking to take advantage of you.
Is it RELIABLE: Not everything you see on the internet is reliable. Be sure you do additional research before believing something after seeing it online.
Always TELL: Always tell an adult if something you see or someone you interact with on the internet seems suspicious or upsets you. Cyberbullying can have a detrimental impact on your self-esteem and self-confidence. Stay safe by telling an adult if you’re being harassed online.

Teach your students the social skills needed to stay SMART when they are online to protect themselves and others!

The special education resources on this page were authored by Watson Institute’s special education consultant, Andee Morris, M.Ed.