Keeping Safe While Making Friends Online: 5 Tips
Making friends online can be fun, exciting, and help you feel connected, especially through gaming, group chats, or shared interests. But staying safe is just as important as making connections.
According to Ofcom’s 2024 Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report:
59% of 8–17-year-olds say they’ve chatted online with someone they’ve never met in person.
32% of children aged 8–17 have accepted a friend or follow request from someone they didn’t know offline.
13% of 13–17-year-olds said someone online had tried to persuade them to do something they were uncomfortable with.
While many online friendships are genuine, it’s important to recognise the risks — including grooming, scams, and emotional manipulation. Here are five practical tips to help young people stay safe while building friendships online:
1. Protect Your Personal Info
Never share your full name, address, school name, phone number, or details that could reveal where you are. Even sharing your school year, sports team, or favourite coffee shop can give away more than you think.
According to the National Crime Agency (NCA), predators often collect small bits of personal information from social media to build trust or manipulate.
2. Check Your Privacy Settings
Keep your accounts private and only accept friend requests or messages from people you know. Review settings regularly — apps update often and can reset defaults.
Ofcom found that 46% of 8–17-year-olds with a public social media profile had never changed their privacy settings.
3. Be Cautious When Moving to Other Apps
Scammers and predators often ask to move from public platforms to private apps like WhatsApp, Instagram or Snapchat early in the conversation. Take your time — moving quickly to less moderated platforms increases risk.
4. Spot Red Flags
If someone online:
Asks you to keep secrets
Tries to isolate you from friends or family
Sends inappropriate messages or photos
Asks for pictures of you
These are major warning signs. Trust your instincts — if it feels off, it probably is.
The Internet Watch Foundation reported a 35% increase in self-generated child sexual abuse imagery in 2023, often stemming from manipulated online relationships.
5. Talk to Someone You Trust
Never feel like you have to handle it alone. If something feels wrong or upsetting, speak to a parent, teacher, youth worker, or contact Childline at 0800 1111. You won’t get in trouble for asking for help.
Final Thought
Online friendships can be meaningful and positive but safety should always come first. By setting boundaries and staying aware, you can enjoy the best parts of online life while protecting yourself and others.
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