Take our quiz to find out how much you really know about digital safety!
1. Fact or Myth: You can post anything on a private account without worrying that parents/teachers/future employers will see it.
- Fact
- Myth
The correct answer is: Myth
Even if your parents and teachers don’t have direct access to your online profile because of your privacy settings, anyone who can see your photos has the ability to save or repost anything you put online. If you wouldn’t be comfortable with your parents, teachers, or strangers seeing a photo, it probably doesn’t belong online.
Even if your parents and teachers don’t have direct access to your online profile because of your privacy settings, anyone who can see your photos has the ability to save or repost anything you put online. If you wouldn’t be comfortable with your parents, teachers, or strangers seeing a photo, it probably doesn’t belong online.
2. What is the best way to tell that information is reliable?
- Multiple sources say the same thing.
- Someone you follow says it.
- There are lots of pictures.
- The person talking speaks loudly.
The correct answer is: Multiple sources say the same thing.
As mentioned before, photographs may be faked using AI. The best way to know if something is true is to see if multiple, unrelated, well-known sources are saying the same thing. If your favorite influencer says rubbing dirt on your face gets rid of acne, but no medical journals or research articles online say that, odds are it is not true.
As mentioned before, photographs may be faked using AI. The best way to know if something is true is to see if multiple, unrelated, well-known sources are saying the same thing. If your favorite influencer says rubbing dirt on your face gets rid of acne, but no medical journals or research articles online say that, odds are it is not true.
3. Which of the following chat rooms is probably your safest choice?
- A private chat with people you don’t know.
- Open chat on a gaming platform with people you don’t know.
- An open chat for single people wanting to meet a partner.
- A private chat with a friend you know offline.
The correct answer is: A private chat with a friend you know offline.
A private chat room with a known, offline friend is your safest bet. Even if you have your parent’s permission to enter an open chat, you should still take precautions. Do not give out any personal information such as your name, where you live, or where you go to school, etc. Do not join audio or video chats with strangers, as they may say or show you inappropriate things that could make you uncomfortable.
A private chat room with a known, offline friend is your safest bet. Even if you have your parent’s permission to enter an open chat, you should still take precautions. Do not give out any personal information such as your name, where you live, or where you go to school, etc. Do not join audio or video chats with strangers, as they may say or show you inappropriate things that could make you uncomfortable.
4. You got in trouble with your parents and had your phone taken away for the week. You have streaks on Snapchat you do not want to lose. You should:
- Give your best friend your username and password so they can send streaks for you.
- Buy a second phone from a sketchy kid at lunch.
- Tell your friends that you will have to end the streaks.
- Steal back your phone when no one is looking.
The correct answer is: Tell your friends that you will have to end the streaks.
A good friend will understand that some things are out of your control. While losing a long streak can be disappointing, a streak is not a significant measure of a friendship.
A good friend will understand that some things are out of your control. While losing a long streak can be disappointing, a streak is not a significant measure of a friendship.
5. Fact or Myth:
If people send you their picture online, then it is ok to meet them because you know what they look like.
- Fact
- Myth
The correct answer is: Myth
People on the Internet can pretend to be whoever they want to be. With advancing technology, people can make AI images that are very realistic, so even requesting a selfie from someone with a certain facial expression does not guarantee that this person is who they claim to be.
People on the Internet can pretend to be whoever they want to be. With advancing technology, people can make AI images that are very realistic, so even requesting a selfie from someone with a certain facial expression does not guarantee that this person is who they claim to be.
6. You blocked someone on one app, and they found your profile on a different app and sent you unwanted messages. You should:
- Talk to the person for a while until they leave you alone.
- Give them any information they want so they will leave you alone.
- Get off your device immediately and tell a trusted adult you are being harassed.
- Block them and hope they go away.
The correct answer is: Get off your device immediately and tell a trusted adult you are being harassed.
While you should definitely block someone who is bothering you, they may still create other profiles to continue harassing you. You should tell an adult because if this escalates to an in-person confrontation, or if they continue to harass you, it may become dangerous.
While you should definitely block someone who is bothering you, they may still create other profiles to continue harassing you. You should tell an adult because if this escalates to an in-person confrontation, or if they continue to harass you, it may become dangerous.
7. Your significant other asks you to send them a sexual photo. They promise not to share it.
- Send them a photo of a stranger you found online
- Send them a photo of yourself
- Pretend you never saw the message
- Send them a message saying you are uncomfortable sending explicit photos
The correct answer is: Send them a message saying you are uncomfortable sending explicit photos
A good partner will accept your boundaries and not make you feel guilty for protecting yourself. If you are in a relationship where you feel you cannot directly say no to this request, that is a sign that this may not be a healthy relationship. A supportive partner will listen to a “no” the first time and will not ask again or try to guilt you by saying this means you do not trust them
A good partner will accept your boundaries and not make you feel guilty for protecting yourself. If you are in a relationship where you feel you cannot directly say no to this request, that is a sign that this may not be a healthy relationship. A supportive partner will listen to a “no” the first time and will not ask again or try to guilt you by saying this means you do not trust them
8. You are struggling with your mental health late at night when everyone else is asleep and unreachable, but you need support. You should:
- Watch Tiktoks about how to cure depression.
- Text or call a mental health hotline.
- Post on your Instagram story with a bunch of sad emojis.
- Ask an AI chatbot what to do.
The correct answer is: Text or call a mental health hotline
Generally speaking, it is better to speak to a trusted adult or friend in real life when you are struggling. However, if your support system is unavailable, the next best solution is to reach out to someone at a mental health hotline. These individuals are trained to help you during tough moments. TikTokers and AI chatbots are not experts on these topics and may provide advice that harms you. Posting online for attention, while it may feel good in the moment, does not offer you actual support and may cause others to worry about you.
Generally speaking, it is better to speak to a trusted adult or friend in real life when you are struggling. However, if your support system is unavailable, the next best solution is to reach out to someone at a mental health hotline. These individuals are trained to help you during tough moments. TikTokers and AI chatbots are not experts on these topics and may provide advice that harms you. Posting online for attention, while it may feel good in the moment, does not offer you actual support and may cause others to worry about you.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.