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Lesson 2 of 8 · 5 min · +100 XP

Is talking to strangers online safe for kids?

Talking to strangers online can feel friendly, but names, pictures and ages on a profile can be made up. Questions about age, school or home, requests to meet, and asks to keep secrets are warning signs. Don't reply, show a trusted adult, and never meet anyone from online alone.

▶ Try it

Why it matters

Online, anyone can use any picture, any name and any age. You learn to spot the questions that are warning signs, even when someone is friendly.

In 5 minutes you'll be able to

  • Pictures, names and ages can be made up online.
  • Nice doesn't mean safe.
  • Strange questions? Show them to a grown-up.

What you'll practise

  1. Who is it really?

    Flip the avatar cards. Who is really behind them?

    🦄 UnicornLily, age 9
    It could be a child. Or a grown-up. You can't know.
    ⚽ Football star with a trophy picture
    The picture is copied from the internet. Anyone can use it.
    🐱 Cute cat profile
    A cute picture tells you nothing about who is writing.
    👧 Amira from your class
    You know her from school. With her, you know who is writing. ✅

  2. Chat check

    You're playing an online game. Someone messages you. Is each message okay or a warning sign?

    Pony_Fairy10 · Game chat

    1. hi! cool outfit 😊 (Okay)
      A friendly hello in a game is okay.
    2. shall we play this level together? (Okay)
      Playing together is normal.
    3. i'm 10. how old are you? (Warning sign)
      Your age is private. And you can't know if the person is really 10.
    4. yay, level done! 🎉 (Okay)
      That's okay. Enjoy it!
    5. what school do you go to? (Warning sign)
      Your school belongs in the backpack. Don't tell!
    6. where do you live? then we can meet up (Warning sign)
      Stop! Don't reply. Tell a grown-up straight away.
    7. but don't tell your parents, ok? (Warning sign)
      Someone who wants you to keep secrets from your parents doesn't mean well. That's exactly when to tell!

  3. What you can do

    Anyone can write nice messages. That doesn't mean the person is safe.

    🤐 Keep private things private
    No age, no school, no address.
    🗣️ Show a grown-up
    Does something feel weird? Show the chat to your parents. You won't get into trouble.
    🚫 Never meet up alone
    Never meet anyone from the internet without your parents.

Remember

Nice words don't prove who someone is. You only really know people you've met in real life.

You only really know people you know in real life.

Key facts

  • 19.2% of children aged 10 to 15 in England and Wales talked to or messaged someone online they had never met in person in the past year. In 59.4% of these cases, the stranger made contact first. · Source: ONS, Bullying and online experiences among children in England and Wales, year ending March 2023 (published 2024)
  • 35.0% of children aged 10 to 15 in England and Wales said they had accepted a friend request from someone they did not know in the past year. · Source: ONS, Bullying and online experiences among children in England and Wales, year ending March 2023 (published 2024)
  • 4.4% of children aged 10 to 15 in England and Wales met up in person with someone they had only spoken to online in the past year. · Source: ONS, Bullying and online experiences among children in England and Wales, year ending March 2023 (published 2024)
  • A profile picture, name and age can all be copied or made up, so a friendly profile says nothing about who is really typing.

Updated:

Questions people ask

What should kids do if a stranger messages them online?

Don't share anything private, don't reply to strange questions, and show the chat to a parent or another trusted adult. Together you can block and report the account.

Is it safe for kids to play online games with strangers?

Playing together can be fine, but chat with strangers carries risks. Use the game's privacy settings, keep personal details out of chat, and treat questions about age, school, home or secrets as warning signs.

What are the warning signs in an online chat with a stranger?

Questions about age, school or where you live, asking for photos, wanting to move to a private app, offering gifts, suggesting a meet-up, and asking you to keep the chat secret.

Should kids ever meet someone they met online?

Not on their own. A child should never meet someone from the internet without a parent knowing and coming along.

Related terms