We communicate online in a lot of different ways – through email, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and through texts on our phone.

We can use a lot of the same strategies for being respectful in person online, such as active listening by being clear and open with our communication, and respecting other people’s choices.

We can use a number of strategies to ensure we are being respectful on line such as:

• Paying attention to ensure we are understanding messages as they are intended
• Asking questions if we are not sure what someone means
• Being as clear and open as possible with our communication
• Respecting other people’s choices

Just because we can’t always see who we’re speaking to, doesn’t mean we should be any less respectful.

An important thing to remember when communicating online, or with our phones, is how to respect other people’s choices. If someone sends you something personal, always remember to think about what they would want before sharing it with anyone else.

And remember, there are laws that govern what we can and can’t share online – check Lawstuff for the laws in your State and Territory.

Rumour map

When we share things online, we can’t always control where the information ends up. Look at the rumour map below to see what can happen when information gets out online.