Playing It Safe

How you present yourself on Facebook says a lot about who you are—just like what you say and do at school or with your friends. In all public places, online and off, it’s important to represent yourself as the kind of person you want to be.

The Importance of Being You

Facebook is a community where people use their real names and identities, so we’re all accountable for our actions. It’s against the Facebook Terms to lie about your name or age. Help us keep the community safe by reporting fake profiles to Facebook if you ever see them.

Think Before You Post

It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and write or do something that may seem hilarious at the time. But remember, what you say can really hurt someone, or come back to haunt you. Think before you post. It only takes a second or two. Ask yourself if you really want to say it. Make sure you don’t mind if your friends, classmates, or teachers hear about it later.

Also remember that any information you post – whether in a comment, a note, or a video chat – might be copied, pasted, and distributed in ways that you didn't intend. Before you post, ask yourself - would I be OK if this content was shared widely at school or with my future employer?

At the same time, we all make mistakes. If you find yourself wishing you hadn’t said or done something, it’s never too late to apologize.

Check out additional tips from Facebook and MediaSmarts in the Think Before You Share guide. In Singapore, download Think Before You Share Singapore with additional tips from the Media Literacy Council. In New Zealand, download Think Before You Share New Zealand with additional tips from Sticks 'N Stones and Project Rockit. In partnership with the Aboriginal People's Television Network and MediaSmarts we have translated the guide into Cree, Ojibwe and Inuktitut. Please click here to download the guide in Cree, here to download it in Ojibwe and here to download it in Inuktitut.

Don’t Talk to Me Anymore

If you ever receive hurtful or abusive messages or posts on your profile page you have options. Depending on how serious the situation is, you can ignore it, ask the person to stop, unfriend or block the person, or tell your parents, a teacher, a counselor, or another adult you trust. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

Report Abusive Content

Be sure to always report abusive content—whether it’s on your profile page, or someone else’s. You can also report inappropriate Pages, Groups, Events and fake or impostor profiles. (Remember that reporting is confidential, so no one will know who made the report.)

Tips for Teens

1. Don’t share your password with anyone.
2. Only accept friend requests from people you know.
3. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your parents, teachers, or employer to see.
4. Be authentic. The real you is better than anything you might pretend to be.
5. Learn about privacy settings, and review them often.