Smart and Safe Online
FoundationBe safe and polite online: use strong passwords, protect your data, refuse cyberbullying, and discuss issues fairly.
- Strong passwords mix letters, numbers and symbols — never your name or birthday.
- Do not click strange links or fill in personal data carelessly.
- Be polite in emails and posts; all caps sounds like shouting.
文體小知識：生活常識說明文給出實用指引，這一篇教你安全有禮地使用網絡世界。
§Text Passage
1Technology makes learning and communication easy, but safety comes first when we use it. Set strong passwords: mix letters, numbers and symbols; never use your name, birthday or 1234, and use a different password for each account. Beware of tricks: do not open links or attachments from strangers, do not believe prize notifications, and ask an adult whenever something is unclear. Protect personal data: do not post your real name, address, phone number or school freely, and ask your family before uploading photos.
2Emails and online posts need good manners too. When writing to teachers or elders, the format should be complete: begin with a greeting such as Dear Miss Chan, keep the body short and polite, and sign your name at the end. Do not type in all capital letters — online, all caps is like shouting and feels rude; and keep emoji to a sensible amount. Read your post once before sending: are any words rude? Could they be misunderstood? Thinking before sending is basic politeness in the online world.
3Think twice before uploading. Once photos and videos go online, they are very hard to remove completely; they may stay for years and be seen by strangers. Before uploading, ask yourself three questions: Could this embarrass me or anyone else? Could it reveal personal data such as my address or school? Will I regret it when I look back as a grown-up? If the answer to any question is yes, do not upload. Records online are hard to erase — today's decision shapes tomorrow's you.
4Cyberbullying means using online messages to hurt others, for example insulting people in groups, exposing their private details, mocking them with edited photos, or leaving classmates out. Those bullied feel sad and afraid, and may even dare not go to school. Remember two things not to do: do not be a bully — words that hurt others should not be said; and do not be a helper — do not like or share hurtful content. If you see someone being bullied, keep the evidence, support the person, and tell a teacher or parent at once; call the police in serious cases.
5Attitude matters when we express opinions online. Stick to the issue: discuss only whether the matter is right or wrong and why, with no personal attacks and no digging up the past. Respect differences: people grow up in different places, so naturally they think differently; when you disagree, you can say I understand your view, but I think... — persuade with reasons, not with harsh words. Use the internet well: online platforms are good for asking about homework and sharing hobbies. Used politely and sensibly, the internet becomes a great helper as we grow.
1Summary 重點摘要
Be safe and polite online: use strong passwords, protect your data, refuse cyberbullying, and discuss issues fairly.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
A password mixing letters, numbers and symbols, hard to guess.
Facts about you, such as your name, address and photos.
Good manners when communicating online.
A letter sent through the internet.
Using online messages to shame or hurt others.
To tell the platform or an adult about bad content.
A website where people post and reply to messages.
To discuss the matter itself, not attack the person.
A clickable address that opens a page or file.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Set a strong passwordYour account password is like the key to your front door — it must be strong. The rules: at least eight characters mixing capital and small letters, numbers and symbols, perhaps built from a sentence only you remember; never your name, birthday, phone number or guesses like 1234 or abc123; and a different password for each account, so one leak does not open everything. Tell no one, not even best friends; and always log out of public computers. If you suspect a leak, ask an adult to help you change it at once.
- Step 2: Do not click suspicious linksOnline traps often hide in links and attachments. Messages from strangers like You have won a prize, click to claim or Quick, watch this video may lead to fake websites that steal data, or carry viruses. To judge: check who sent it, whether the web address is the official one, and whether it sounds too good or wild; if unsure, do not click and ask an adult first. Download apps and games from official stores only, and never install files of unknown origin. Keep computers and phones updated with protection software. Curiosity can be costly — a suspicious link is not worth a single click.
- Step 3: Write emails politelyEmail is a formal way to communicate, so mind your manners. When writing to teachers, the principal or elders: make the subject clear, such as Leave notice; open with a greeting like Dear Mr Wong; explain matters in short paragraphs; and end with thanks and your name. Use polite words — please, thank you, sorry to trouble you; never type the whole message in capitals, which feels like shouting; and check for typos and the right recipient before sending. A well-written email will serve you all the way through secondary school and work.
- Step 4: Think before you uploadBefore pressing post, pause and ask three questions. One: could it hurt anyone? Photos mocking classmates or gossip in groups can spread from one to ten to a hundred, even if only friends see it at first. Two: could it leak information? Photos in school uniform, of your front door or of your report card reveal who and where you are. Three: will I regret it later? Online records are hard to erase completely; what seems funny today may embarrass you years on. If any answer unsettles you, put the phone down, ask an adult, or decide tomorrow — you will usually be glad you held back.
- Step 5: Never take part in cyberbullyingCyberbullying hurts no less than hurting someone in person. One mocking comment, an ugly edited photo or a group that shuts one classmate out can keep them awake all night and afraid to return to school. Hold firmly to three nots: do not take part — never type a single hurtful word; do not be a helper — do not like or forward bullying content or join the mockery in groups; do not egg it on — never join the crowd when someone leads an attack. Before posting, think: if these words were said to me, how would I feel? Put yourself in their place, and the internet grows warmer.
- Step 6: Three steps when you see bullyingWhen you see a classmate cyberbullied, take the right three steps. Step one, do not join: no comments, no reposting; screenshot the evidence and note the time and the forum's name. Step two, give support: comfort the classmate privately, tell them it is not their fault, think of ways forward together, and let them know someone stands with them. Step three, find an adult: hand the evidence to a teacher or parent, who will inform the school or report to the platform; if it is serious, such as threats, call the police. Silence lets bullying continue; the right three steps protect your classmate and the kindness of the online world.
- Step 7: Express views on the issue itselfEveryone can post opinions online, and how you say it matters more than what you say. Stick to the issue: criticise the matter itself — I find this arrangement inconvenient, because... — not the person, as in You are so... Respect different views: disagreement is not enmity; restate the other side's point first, then give your reasons, and pause when it goes nowhere — no need to argue until faces turn red. Admit mistakes: conceding a wrong fact openly earns more respect than stubbornly defending it. Discuss in a civil way, your views will be heard, and you will win respect yourself.
5Worked example Example
Example: in an online forum Ching finds a post smearing her classmate Yeuk, with others joining in the mockery. What should Ching do? Give the correct three steps.
- Step one, do not take part: she does not mock, does not repost and does not join the quarrel; she screenshots the evidence and notes the forum's name and the time.
- Step two, give support: she tells Yeuk privately, I saw it — it is not your fault, and goes with her to tell the class teacher, so Yeuk does not feel alone.
- Step three, find an adult: the teacher follows up and contacts the forum administrators to delete the post and warn the poster; if it is serious, adults can report to the platform or the police.
- Reflect afterwards: the lesson for everyone is to think of the consequences before posting — a joke must never be built on someone else's pain.
- Answer: The correct three steps: first, do not join in — no mocking comments or reposts, and keep evidence by screenshot; second, support Yeuk, comfort her and help her seek help; third, tell the teacher or parents, and let adults follow up, report and handle it. Never cyberbully, and never stay silent when you see it. When everyone takes these three steps, an online forum can stay a friendly place to talk.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1How do you make a strong password?
Q2What should you do with a link from a stranger?
Q3What does typing in all capitals feel like online?
Q4What should you do if a classmate is cyberbullied?
Q5How should you express a different view online?
8Recap Recap
- Strong passwords mix letters, numbers and symbols — never your name or birthday.
- Do not click strange links or fill in personal data carelessly.
- Be polite in emails and posts; all caps sounds like shouting.
- Never cyberbully or help bullies; tell an adult when you see it.
- Stick to the issue and respect different voices.