iStock photo
iStock photo

(by Simon Druker) It might not be marked on your calendar but today is Safer Internet Day. And at least one social media company is offering some advice to young people about how to protect themselves online. Facebook Canada is out today with a tip sheet for youth. The company has done something like this in the past with its Digital Literacy Guide, which was targeted at everyone. But today’s tip sheet is targeted at that younger, tech-savy generation.

“We want to be helping youth and we’re trying to give them access to tips they would give to each other, which gives a special twist to this,” says the company’s Kevin Chan.

“On Safer Internet Day, we wanted to be able to reach out to them and make sure they have some tips available to think through before they post and before they share online.”

The tip sheet is meant to highlight important considerations to prevent and stop cyberbullying.

“Refrain from being impatient or from calling them (people) names and things like that and actually spend the time to educate these people on how to use these platforms,” says Chan.

All of the tips are responses from teens, collected during a digital youth summit last summer.

“The idea (of the tip sheet is about) being kind and being generous with people. And if you meet somebody for the first time for example, you should ask them for their approval before you actually tag them in a photo or post a photo of them in it,” he adds.

A 17 year old Vancouver teen was involved in the creation of the tip sheet as part of her campaign against cyberbullying.