Passwords and online manners
A password is a secret that keeps our things safe, like a key. A strong password is long, with at least 8 characters. It mixes letters, numbers and symbols such as ! # or *. It is not your name, your birthday or 12345. We tell a password only to a parent or carer, and not even to a best friend. Online manners are like manners at school. We are kind and polite, and we think before we send: would I say this to someone’s face? We never share personal information, such as our address, school or phone number, with people we do not know. If a message upsets us or a stranger writes to us, we do not answer, and we tell a grown-up at once.
| Rule | Why |
|---|---|
| At least 8 characters | a long password is harder to guess |
| Letters, numbers and symbols | mixing makes it strong |
| Not your name or birthday | other people can guess these |
| Tell only a parent or carer | a secret stops being a secret when shared |
Make a rules poster. Draw a lock and write the four password rules. Then act out two scenes with a friend. In scene 1 someone online asks for your address. In scene 2 a window asks you to buy something. Practise what you say: “No, thank you,” and then tell a grown-up. Never type a real password for a game or a site without a grown-up.
| Letter | Password |
|---|---|
| A | your first name |
| B | 12345 |
| C | a long mix of letters, numbers and symbols |