STAYING SAFE ONLINE
What are your rights?
What is the age of criminal responsibility?
The age of criminal responsibility is 10 years old. If you are 10 years old or over, then you can be held responsible for anything you do that breaks the law. If you do break the law, then you can be punished for it.
What is the age of consent?
There is a law that says that if anyone is under 16, then they cannot get involved in any type of sexual activity. Even if one person is over 16, it is still not allowed. If you do get involved in sexual acticity under 16, then you could be put on sex offenders register and get a criminal record. If anyone is involving someone under 16 in anything sexual, then that is also against the law by the Sexual Offences act 2003.
Harrasment and abuse?
If an adult is making contact with a child with the intention of abusing them, then that is against the law. If anyone is harrassing someone because of their gender, sexuality, race, or ethnicity, then this is against the law by the Harrasment Act 1997 and you can be punished.
Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is when someone uses technology (computers or phone etc) to continuously be unpleasant to another person. This is against the law by the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
Sexting?
Sexting is when someone takes a picture of themselves and sends it to people. This is against the law if you are under 18. If you took the picture or you are in possession of the picture, then you are breaking the law for taking indecent images of a child (even if it is yourself). If you anyone involved is under 18 then this is illegal by the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Another bad thing about sexting is that it can easily spread to anyone. Do not send any indecent images!
Ceop Report?
If you are being cyberbullied or abused online, then click the CEOP REPORT button. This is available on most social networking websites and reports the person to the police and CEOP. If you are in doubt, then click the button.
CEOP
HELPING YOU STAY SAFE ON THE INTERNET
REPORT ABUSE
CLICK CEOP REPORT