Close-up view of hands typing on a laptop computer keyboard with a social media page displayed on the monitor.

Online safety tips

Parents and policy makers can help young adults pay attention to their online reputation and take steps to ensure a positive persona – personally and professionally.

The Digital Civility Challenge

Microsoft encourages everyone to take the challenge to help make the internet a safer place. Our fifth Digital Civility Index showed digital interactions and responses to online risks are improving around the world.

Learn how to take the challenge

An adolescent boy sitting in his bedroom typing on a laptop.

Adolescent mental health in the age of AI

The new age of AI brings new opportunities—and new safety considerations, including how technology may impact adolescent mental health. As a part of our deliberative and responsible approach to safety and AI, we partnered with the CERES (Connecting the Ed Tech Ecoystem) research network to help build a shared understanding of the current research landscape and focus of future efforts.

Explore the research

Reputation Relationships Privacy Money

Reputation

Anything you post can become part of your online reputation and your online brand for the rest of your digital life. Remember the internet is permanent, vast, and always listening. Any one of your selfies could show up at your first job interview.

An illustration of a smiling woman surrounded by digital chat bubbles

Could this hurt me or others?

It is difficult to know how others will interpret or react to your post. What you post might affect others directly or indirectly.

Would I share this with my parents or family?

You never know who reads what you post. Imagine how your parents or family would react if they read your post.

Could this limit opportunities for my future?

It is common for schools, volunteer programs, and hiring managers to review your digital footprint. Be thoughtful about what you post online.

Relationships

Relationships can be complicated in real life, and maybe more so online. You can fight with your sister over messenger, you can create a community on TikTok, and you can find your best friend in the comments on YouTube.

An illustration of a handshake with a heart floating above it

Stay in touch

The internet is a great tool to stay in touch with people over long distances, like cousins on another coast or friends studying abroad.

Be nice

Be nice to people, even if everyone else is being mean to them. Bullying is not cool in real life, or online.

Protect your identity, security, and privacy

Whether you meet a new person in real life or online, strive to be safe. Protect your identity, security, and privacy, and always tell someone you trust about a new person you meet online.

You have the right to say “no”

Remember you always have the right to say “no”, to cut off contact, or to report anyone who is bothering you online.

Privacy

Suppose you got a new car. Would you post a photo of yourself standing in front of your new car with the license plate showing in the background? Be mindful, you could be helping someone hack your privacy and identity.

An illustration of an open laptop with a spotlight shining on it

Before you hit “post,”…

Before you hit “post,” ask yourself if you’d share that information with a stranger—this rule of thumb will help you filter out private details like your last name, contact information, school, age, or date of birth.

Personal details in photos

Treat any pictures like an investigator or crime-scene specialist, paying close attention to the background. What personal details can you piece together about you and your friends in the image?

Extensive profiles

Some sites require you to fill out an extensive profile. It may seem harmless, but all that personal data can fall into the wrong hands or even get sold to scammers.

Sharing private information with sites and apps

Be thoughtful when sites and apps you want to use ask for your full name, birthdate, address, phone number, or other private information. Consider whether you really want them to have that information and find out what they are going to do with it (and who else they are going to share it with) before you hand those details over.

Use privacy settings

Many sites allow you to limit who can see your profile, either by changing settings or requiring a password to access your content—a vital step you should take with every account. Keep in mind, too, that social media groups you join (e.g., one for your high school) may be public.

Posting on the internet

When in doubt, ask yourself if you’d feel comfortable posting your information in a public forum—because that’s essentially what the internet is.

Money

Young people are a common target of identity theft because they tend to have good credit, and often fail to fully protect their personal details.

An illustration of dollar signs in varying sizes

Don’t share private information

Real companies (like banks, online retailers, and credit card companies) won’t ask for those details over email, so don’t respond—even if the email’s images and language sound official or include alarmist messages (like “Your account will be closed!”).

Don’t conduct financial activities on public computers

Don't conduct financial activities on public computers. Criminals install keystroke recognition software on public computers to spy on what you type. Hackers can also log into your accounts after you’ve left the computer unless you take steps to block them. If you do go online on a public computer, like at school or the library, make sure to disable the automatic log-in feature (it’s usually a box beneath the field for your password) and log out before you leave the computer. It’s not enough to close the browser.

Create strong passwords

Once criminal have your username, something that is often easy to find, they try to break into your account by trying the most common passwords. Create strong passwords to protect yourself. Your passwords should be at least eight characters long, that include letters, number, and symbols. Do not include common personal information (names, birthdays, addresses, or simple sequences like 12345). Also, make sure to change your passwords regularly and create different ones for each site so that if criminal break one password, your other accounts won't be compromised.

Use secure sites only

Some websites don’t use encryption software—a security measure that scrambles data as it crosses the internet—making them vulnerable to hackers. Fraudsters may also set up a webpage that looks identical to your bank’s or an online retailer, so you’ll enter your log-in information. Make sure the web address begins with "https" (the "s" stands for “secure”) and has an icon of a closed padlock—these signs mean the site is safe. Also, be wary of links sent to you, even from a friend. Fraudsters may break into your friend’s email or social media accounts to get you to click on sites that will download malware—software that can record your sensitive information.

Social media cliche

Answer multiple choice questions about your social media habits to learn which cliché you are.

Take the quiz

A group of people take a selfie in front of some lockers

Pin Head

Using location services? Limit who knows your whereabouts, pay attention to where/when you check in, and link to social media with care.

A smartphone displaying a photograph of a child.

Momarazzi

Be mindful about what you post online about your kids – of any age. You might be putting them at risk by revealing their current location, age, school, etc.

Team Emo

Don't post anything you'd only say to a close friend. Whether you're happy, sad, angry, or have money worries, confiding broadly could increase your online risks of being bullied, targeted for scams, or worse.

A smartphone with multiple hashtags floating around it.

Hashtag Hyper

Be selective about where and when you use hashtags to avoid oversharing your location. Keep sensitive details to yourself that could be used to defraud; impersonate; or find your home address, phone and account numbers, birthdate, or photos without your knowing it.

Selfie Centered

Before you post any pictures, videos, or comments online, ask yourself: Could this tarnish my reputation? Think before you post; it will be there a long, long time.

Online safety tips

The Digital Civility Challenge

Adolescent mental health in the age of AI

Reputation