Don't give out any of what we like to call your basic personal identifying information. That includes your full name, your phone number, your address, your social security or government ID number, the names of your family members, and credit card numbers. Just use common sense. If some piece of information is attached to you and only you/your family, don't share it!

But also be careful about other personal information that might not seem so identifying at first. When you're talking with someone online you don't know, consider that they could use all the information you give them as clues to figure out who and where you are. The more clues you give them, the easier it will be to put them all together. So be aware of sharing information like your school name, your town/city, names of sports teams or other groups you're involved with, jersey numbers, etc. Alone, they might not seem like much, but put together, they provide a whole lot of information.

Think about your screen names and log-in names. These are generally what people see first when they see you online. What do yours say about you? Make sure they don't reveal too much personal information or suggest things that could attract someone you don't want to talk with.

Enlist the help of your friends! Sometimes, we might post something online that we think is totally harmless and isn't endangering us, but a friend might realize that it actually is. Look out for your friends and let them know if they've posted something that isn't 100% safe, and ask them to do the same for you.

Remember that you are always in control. If you're talking with someone and it doesn't feel right, or if someone sends you a message that makes you uncomfortable, forget being rude - you don't have to respond! Sign off or talk to a trusted adult about what happened.

Take advantage of the features and privacy controls offered by many social networking sites and IM services. Set your privacy settings to a level you feel comfortable with, and if you aren't sure, talk with your parents. And use features that allow you to report another user's threatening or any other sort of behavior that's making you uncomfortable. That's what those features are there for, and you should use them if you need to.

Be knowledgeable about the sorts of sites and services you sign up for. Always check a website's privacy policy before you sign up for an account, and make sure they aren't going to give out your information to anyone. If their policy doesn't make sense, ask a parent or other adult to look at it with you. And do your research about the sorts of protective services they offer. Consider signing up for a social networking site that has many privacy controls instead of one that just offers a few.

Choose your password carefully (something you can remember but other people won't be able to guess), and keep it a secret! It can be tempting to give it out to a friend when you two are on good terms, but if something happens and you two are upset with each other, they could use that password to access your accounts and information. They could put you in some sort of danger online or to interfere with your friendships and relationships. If you think someone has figured out your password, just change it!

Treat others how you want to be treated. We hear that all the time, and it's just as true online as at home and at school. It can be tempting to act in ways you normally wouldn't when you're online because it feels so anonymous, but it's not! Everything you say can be traced back to you. So if you wouldn't want to be bullied or harassed online, don't do it to other people!

If you find yourself in a situation where you feel threatened or if you feel like you accidentally put yourself in danger online, talk to a parent or trusted adult. While you might feel like they're going to be angry with you, chances are, they're going to be relieved that you told them and impressed that you're handling the situation so maturely. So ask for help when you need it.