internet safety 101... for all!
it's no secret that the internet is a big big big vast place full of many people and things! nowadays, it's difficult to stumble upon seriously bad things, unlike how it was when i was growing up online with all sorts of gross shock sites floating around... but just because the internet is more monitored and sanitized now, doesn't mean there's not still unsafe people and things to be aware of.
1. see something, say something
for adults, if you see something that you think is illegal in some way, here's the anonymous FBI tip line. if it's relating to children in anyway, here is the link to CYBERTIP. remember, if you see something that is illegal, it's important to not spread it. do not send it to your friends and especially do not post online where you can find the offending content. despite good intentions this could get you into a fair deal of trouble legally, as you are now distributing it. please leave it to the police.
for kids, please use the age old trick of telling a trusted adult! this could be a teacher, parent, or even sibling. never be afraid to tell somebody you trust if somebody, especially an adult, is making you feel uncomfortable or pressuring you into things.
2. do not feed the trolls
OK. trolls suck, they do, but you dont need to respond to them. infact, you should avoid it. totally ignore them. make it known that it does not bother you, because it shouldnt. trolls can say hurtful things but theres a reason they call it baiting, and theres a reason you're told to not feed them. (response = feeding!) trolls strive off of attention, and negative attention counts as attention, too. yes, it may not make sense, but they're doing it for fun to see how you react to it. the best thing to do is ignore, block, and walk away.
3. (for kids) keep internet and real life seperate.
a lot can be found out from tiny pieces of information you leave around the web! pictures you take with street signs visible, buisness names, and especially your school. if you have online friends, please keep your online and real life seperate! people online could be not who you think they are, and this sounds cliche but its very much true and has happened to me before. thankfully, i was not put into any danger but regardless, if you're not an adult, no one online should know where or how to find you.
please do not share your personal instagram containing your school name or full name with people you meet online! in the age of AI, posting your face can be quite dangerous aswell. please be especially aware that whats on the internet, despite easily being lost to time, could be saved and seen by ANYBODY! anyone could save your selfie and you won't know. i reccomend private social media accounts for minors.
do not feed your face to ai, it can be tempting to see what you'd look like as a ghibli character, but there are now ai influencers being developed likely using the image and likeness of nonconsenting people who TECHNICALLY DID CONSENT by feeding their face and bodies to ai without reading the terms of use...which usually includes a clause regarding the company being allowd to reproduce, use, and sell, what is put into it.
4. AI and deepfakes
jumping off of my last point, it's especially important to know how to deal with AI and what happens if a deepfake is created of you. for starters, REPORT IT TO THE PLATFORM IT WAS SPREAD AND POSTED ON. depending on your age and content of the deepfake, this could constitute as child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) or child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or general child exploitation material (CEM). it is illegal to create, possess, and spread this, therefore it should also be reported to the aforementioned tiplines. you should also be aware of the TAKE IT DOWN ACT.
This bill generally prohibits the nonconsensual online publication of intimate visual depictions of individuals, both authentic and computer-generated, and requires certain online platforms to promptly remove such depictions upon receiving notice of their existence.
Specifically, the bill prohibits the online publication of intimate visual depictions of
an adult subject where publication is intended to cause or does cause harm to the subject, and where the depiction was published without the subject’s consent or, in the case of an authentic depiction, was created or obtained under circumstances where the adult had a reasonable expectation of privacy; or
a minor subject where publication is intended to abuse or harass the minor or to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.
Violators are subject to mandatory restitution and criminal penalties, including prison, a fine, or both. Threats to publish intimate visual depictions of a subject are similarly prohibited under the bill and subject to criminal penalties.
Separately, covered platforms must establish a process through which subjects of intimate visual depictions may notify the platform of the existence of, and request removal of, an intimate visual depiction including the subject that was published without the subject’s consent. Covered platforms must remove such depictions within 48 hours of notification. Under the bill, covered platforms are defined as public websites, online services, or applications that primarily provide a forum for user-generated content.