Internet Safety for Beginners 【Entry #1】

WELCOME TO THE INTERNET

Greetings! I'm Ghost and I've noticed on the web today there aren't many online guides on how to safely surf the web. Many young users are just expected to know how to use the internet and if anything goes wrong they're blamed for not doing more to protect themselves.

So I wanted to make a comprehensive guide to help anyone who may need it! Of course I should state that I'm not a professional or the end-all-be-all on the topic. I'm simply speaking from personal experience and education I had growing up. Hopefully this will help someone out there who needs it. Remember, it's not your fault no one taught you!

PROFILE and YOU

Everyone has a profile and a username! It's good to know the basics of usernames and passwords as well as how you present yourself online.

USERNAMES

Your username is the online handle you'll go by; It's the first thing people will see and it's your identifier. Here on Spacehey I go by the username "UniversalGhost" since it's an alternative title for myself that I think fits me! When online, it's never a good idea to use your real name or last name. By doing so, it makes it easier for malicious individuals to look up information about you to use.
I've heard the argument that: "Im a nobody, no one would want to look me up/hack me." Which is more common of a sentiment today then back in the early 2010s. It doesn't matter if you think you're unimportant or insignificant, ill-actors will use that rhetoric as a way to get easy information off of you without even trying. Back in the early 2010s it was a lot harder to look up addresses and phone numbers, but the times have changed! It's easier than ever to look someone up/where they live/work/and their phone numbers and family members. Your real name is a fast route to get doxxed.

PASSWORDS

Password protection is also important so people can't easily get into your account. Once someone has access to your account they're able to get your email, your contacts, and so much more. It's important to change your password once every 3-6 months. You don't have to, but it's highly recommended so your password can't be easily guessed.

It's also good to change up your passwords for different accounts on different websites. If you have the same password for every account and your accounts are linked by the same email, consider your accounts and email compromised. Don't panic though! If you're able to catch it quick, change your email's password and any accounts that may be effected.

PERSONAL DETAILS

On many accounts like on twitter or tiktok, you may see bios that read [13+, NAME, they/them]. Now at first this seems like basic information you'd tell your friends (which you should tell your IRL friends your age, pronouns, and so on.) however on the internet things can be a bit different.

You should never share your age online in this context! Having that information blatantly available not only tells your friends but bad-actors too. I won't sugar coat it, pedophiles exist and do aim to harm if they can. If you're underage or even 18, 19, 20, you can be a target. To protect yourself do not share your age on your profile, same with your name!

Pronouns and orientation (sexuality) being on your profile isn't harmful. However, you have to be aware that with that information public, you risk bad-actors or trolls using that information against you. It's always good to ask "if a bully or someone with ill-intent had this information would that hurt me?" Sometimes, the risk outweighs the reward and thats okay!! Don't feel pressured to have this information on your page and vice-versa. (I include my pronouns and age because I know I can handle bad actors handling that information.) Just make sure you're comfortable with the information you put out there. If you have a bad feeling or are nervous, then go with your gut!

FRIENDS AND YOU

Lastly, it's good to know who your friends are. Here on Spacehey I see the common mistake of having just anyone added to your friends list. Friends here do not mean followers. It's best to only friend people you either have a connection with or know IRL. Don't just add random people! By doing so you open up the opportunity for bad-actors to send you gore, NSFW content, or offensive content like slurs and other hurtful things.

Another thing too, don't just open messages from anybody! I'll do a more in depth post about phishing and other things of that nature. The TLDR though is that sometimes people have ill-intentions and are willing to send you shock content like gore or NSFW things to get a reaction out of you. Remember the cardinal rule: Do not interact, report, and block!

That's all for today! For more posts of this nature please check out my future articles on the matter!

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Update 10/27/25: Minor CSS changes for clarity.

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