Police to hold live web chat to mark Safer Internet Day

It is the ninth year of the annual Insafe campaign, which is celebrated in over 65 countries to recognise the importance of the Internet, how to get the most out of it and how to use it safely and responsibly.

This year the campaign is centred on the theme 'connecting generations and educating each other' and as such Lancashire Constabulary is asking young and old to come together to 'discover the digital world together...safely.'

Detective Chief Inspector Hazel Stewart of the public protection team will be holding the web chat, via the force website www.lancashire.police.uk and simultaneously on www.facebook.com/lancspolice. Residents are invited to submit their on-line safety questions to her from 12.30pm-1.30pm on Tuesday February 7th.

She said: "The Internet is now a major part of most people's lives so it is important that it is being used safely.

"The fact that the Internet is now in most people's homes and places of work means it is easier for criminals to target people online. We have seen a rise in child sexual exploitation as a result of unsupervised use of social networking sites and predators grooming youngsters via computers.

"Young people are often more au fait with what's going on on the Internet, but they may not be quite as savvy when it comes to online safety. Therefore, we're asking parents, carers and teachers to work with young people to advise them about how to protect themselves while on the Internet, and youngsters can then return the favour by sharing their knowledge too."

Safer internet tips for adults:

• Make sure your firewall and anti-virus software is up to date.
• Use different passwords for different sites.
• Use secure and official sites (look for the padlock sign) when making purchases on-line.
• Keep back up copies and print outs of on-line documents.
• Do not disclose bank details as proof or age or identity.
• Don't reveal personal details to people you meet, or who contact you, on-line.

Safer internet tips for children and young people:

• Never give out personal details to online friends if you do not know them offline.
• Remember people online may not be who they say they are - use caution when chatting to people who you do not already know.
• Never arrange to meet up with strangers without an adult present who you trust.
• Think carefully about the information and pictures you post on your profiles. Once published online, anyone can change or share these images of you.
• Don't open files from people you do not know - they may contain viruses which could damage your computer.
• If you feel uncomfortable about anything that happens online tell an adult.

CEOP - the UK's national centre dedicated to protecting children from harm both online and offline - will be launching the 'Parents' and Carers' Guide to the Internet', looking at what it's like to bring up children in the online world, on February 7th.

You can watch this programme online to help you stay up-to-date with the technology your children are using, know what action to take and where to seek further help and support

• Visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents from Tuesday 7th February.

• Further safety tips can be found on www.lancashire.police.uk and information about Safer Internet Day is available at the Safer Internet Day website.

(Issued by Lancashire Constabulary)