YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITY
HOW TO STAY SAFE ONLINE
Age Of Responsability
When you are a child you are entitled to rights but when you turn the age of 10 you become criminally resposability. This means that you you can be prosecuted for all crimes online and offline in the real world. You can be imprisoned if you break the law this also includes sexting.
Age Of Consent
The Sexual Offences Act says that anyone below the age of 16 cannot consent to sexual activity. The law says that someone of the age of 16 cannot consent and therefore there is NO defence for anyone who is having doing sexual avtivity with someone they know is under 16. Anyone who is doing this may be prosecuted. Even if both people are under the age of 16, you can be prosecuted. This might include being put on the sex offenders register and getting a criminal record. This will go on your cv and you will have to tick the arrested box and sex offenders on a job application. This will affect your chances of geting a job.
Harassment
If anyone is abusive to another person based on ethnicity, race or sexuality, this is against the Harassment Act 1997 and they can be prosecuted.
Cyberbullying
Someone who is cyberbullying another person online can be charged according to the Malicious Communications Act 1988.
Sexting
Sexting (sending a sexual photo of yourself or someone else using text or email) it is against the law If the people involved in sexting are under 18, this is illegal (even if the person is your boyfriend or girlfriend). This means that person can be prosecuted under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
What information to share
You should never ever ever share any personal information to anyone you do not know this includes address, phone numbers, you r school and any other types of personal information.
Who to chat to?
You firstly must always consider who you talk and what you say. You never ever want to say anything offensive because these things can be traced and found, and they will be used against you as evidence if you are being prosecuted for cyber bullying. Also it is just unfriendly and social networking sites were not made for abuse. So don't abuse it.
Who to accept ?
There are many young adults who use these sites which makes it very easy for older men who are predators to pray on you. These sites are very cool you just need to be careful and sensible on them by keeping it in your frineds group and being friendly.
Where to go for help ?
If you feel anyone is being creepy or strange with you or your friends, or if someone is bullying you on one these social networking sites – contact the administrator of the chat area. You might want to think twice about using the site again if this continues.
If it starts getting threatening, dagerous and abusive you should report the issue ClickCEOP. CEOP stands for Child Exploitation & online protection agency, they will deal with the problem and if it is really serious they will go to the police.