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Join the Dots
Join the Dots is a safe and anonymous way for young people to report suspicious online behaviour.
Join the Dots helps you to take control of your online space by using your knowledge to protect others and sharing information about what’s worrying you.
You might be playing games online or posting on Facebook, and you feel something is suspicious. Or you know something’s wrong, but you’re confident you can look after yourself. You can block it and ignore it OR you can protect other children and young people by reporting it.
You might think it’s not important, or you may be scared to tell someone what you’ve seen online, but by sharing information, you’ll be helping to keep you, your friends and other kids safe online.
What happens when you share information with us?
You have helped protect other children and young people online. Thank you.
You will need to fill out a brief report but you can stay anonymous if you wish, we will not share your personal details with the police or other organisations unless you provided permission for us to do so.
The information you provide in your report will be sent to us, and we’ll share this with the police, for you. You might think the police can’t do anything, or you might not want to talk with the police. When you make your report, you can choose to stay anonymous.
The information in your report could be what the police need to keep the internet a safe place and help protect other children and young people from harm.
Advice for Children & Young People
Being on the internet is fun. Playing games, chatting with friends and sharing photos are some of the things to do.
But sometimes, being on the internet can be unsafe. Adults can also be on the internet, playing games and chatting with friends, like you. Sometimes, they do the wrong thing and pretend to be kids.
If you feel uncomfortable or scared about something that’s happened online, it’s really important to tell someone you trust about it.
What can you do if you are feeling unsafe?
If you feel worried or unsafe online, you can tell us about it. This is called Join the Dots.
The information you tell us will help keep you, your friends and other kids safe on the internet.
You’ll need to answer some questions on a form. What you write will be sent to us, and we’ll share this with the police.
We’ll talk to the police for you, so they can keep an eye on the internet and make sure it’s a safe place for all kids.
How to make a report
Remember, you won’t get into trouble for staying safe online. So make sure you always tell someone if you feel worried about something on the internet.
- Talk to Mum or Dad, or someone you know and trust.
- Chat with us at Bravehearts on 1800 272 831 — we can help you if there is something you are worried about.
- Call the Kids Help Line on 1800 55 1800. You can tell them what you are worried about.
We all spend a lot of free time on the internet. Playing games, watching videos, sharing selfies and chatting with friends are just some of the fun things to do.
But sometimes, being on the internet can be unsafe, especially for younger children.
Adults are also on the internet, playing games and posting on Facebook, like you. Sometimes adults and others do the wrong thing and share inappropriate content or pretend to be a young person like you or someone else. Sometimes they can be bullies and very scary.
If you’re uncomfortable about something that’s happened online, or you think something’s wrong or suspicious, it’s important to tell someone about it.
Join the Dots is a safe anonymous way to help you report what’s happened, what you have found or what’s worrying you. The information you share will help keep you, your friends and younger children around you safe on the internet.
What can you do if you’re feeling unsafe?
It’s important to report what’s happened. If you don’t want to talk to the police, you can choose to remain anonymous.
You might think the police can’t or won’t do anything but Join the Dots helps police gather the information they need to stop the same thing happening to others less able to protect themselves. Your help is vital.
When you make a report, we’ll share your information with the police, for you.
The information you share could be what the police need to keep the internet a safe place and help protect other younger children from harm.
If you are worried about Cyberbullying, The Office of the eSafety Commissioner has many helpful resources on their website esafety.gov.au including a Cyber Bullying reporting tool.
How to make a report
Remember, you won’t get into trouble for staying safe online. So make sure you always tell someone if you feel worried about something on the internet.
- Talk to Mum or Dad, or someone you know and trust.
- Chat with us at Bravehearts on 1800 272 831 — we can help you if there is something you are worried about.
- Call the Kids Help Line on 1800 55 1800. You can tell them what you are worried about.