Year 5 · Technology, Health · 2 minutes
Staying safe online
Keep it private. Think before you share. Tell a trusted adult. Report at esafety.gov.au
Key terms
- Private information
- Details just for you, such as your full name, address, school and passwords.
- Password
- A secret code that protects your account; four random words are much harder to crack than a short word.
- Trusted adult
- A parent, carer or teacher you can tell when something online worries you.
- eSafety Commissioner
- An Australian official who can help, including with reports of serious online bullying.
- Online bullying
- Unkind or harmful behaviour online that you can report with a grown up.
Transcript
The internet is brilliant for games, learning and chatting with friends. And just like crossing the road, it's easier when you know a few safety rules.
Some information is just for you: your full name, your address, your school, and your passwords. Keep it private, like treasure locked in a box.
Online, people aren't always who they say they are. Someone who says they're ten might really be a grown up. So don't share private things, and never arrange to meet someone you only know online.
Before you share a photo or a message, stop and think. Once it's online, it can be copied and passed around, and it might stay there forever.
Strong passwords protect your accounts. A short word like cat is easy to guess. But four random words, like purple rocket pancake river, are much harder to crack. And keep your passwords secret, even from friends.
If anything online makes you feel worried, scared or uncomfortable, it's not your fault. Stop, and tell a trusted adult, like a parent, a carer or a teacher.
In Australia, the eSafety Commissioner can help too. With a grown up, you can report serious online bullying at eSafety dot gov dot A U.
So, keep your private information private. Think before you share, and use strong passwords. And if something feels wrong, tell a trusted adult.
Sources
Every fact in the video, and where it comes from.
- 1esafety.gov.au/kids/I-want-help-with/personal-information-onl…
- Personal information such as your full name, address, phone number and school should be protected; someone with lots of it could pretend to be you or find out where you live. Use a nickname / screen name instead of your real name.
- Online friends you have never met in person may not be who they say they are; if anyone online asks for personal information, tell a trusted adult.
- 2cyber.gov.au/learn-basics/explore-basics/passphrases
- A strong passphrase uses four or more random words (at least 15 characters); don't reuse or share it.
- 3esafety.gov.au/kids
- Things shared online can be copied and shared by others and can be hard or impossible to remove.
- 4esafety.gov.au/report/cyberbullying
- The eSafety Commissioner is Australia's independent regulator for online safety. Anyone under 18 in Australia can report serious cyberbullying to eSafety, and can ask a parent, carer or other trusted adult to help or to report for them (usually after first reporting it to the platform).
- 5kidshelpline.com.au
- Kids Helpline is a free, confidential service for young people aged 5 to 25: 1800 55 1800.
- 6esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-…
- Since 10 December 2025, age-restricted social media platforms must stop under-16s in Australia having accounts (messaging and online games are mostly excluded), so the video talks about sharing in games, chats and messages rather than social media.
Teaching this next week?
Kuraplan turns this topic into a lesson plan, slides and a worksheet for your class in about a minute.
Plan a lesson on this topic
