Ask Sam

Hi there,

Facebook and other places on the internet can be a really good way to stay in touch with friends and meet new people. But it’s also really important to know how to keep yourself safe when you’re online.

It's never okay for anyone to make you do things that you don’t want to do, whether this is online or in normal life. You say that this person is blackmailing you into meeting up with him by threatening to tell people about your secrets. It’s not okay that he is forcing you to meet up and you shouldn’t meet up with him.

Blackmailing someone into doing something is wrong. You can report his actions to the online police CEOP. Have a look at their website and decide if that is something you are ready to do. It’s also a good idea to tell a trusted adult about what’s happening so that they can help you to stay safe.

It's never a good idea to meet up with anyone that you have met online. People can sometimes pretend to be someone else online. They may be lying about their age, name, hobbies and lots of other details. When you’ve been talking to someone online for a long time, or friends also know this person, you might feel like you know them and that they are safe to meet in real life. However, this might not be the case. 

If you do decide to meet up with someone you have met online then it’s important that you stay safety. Always take someone with you and let a trusted adult know where you’re going, what time and when you will be home. It's also better to meet in a public place during the day.

I can hear that this situation has really upset you. You might find it helpful to talk these feelings through with a counsellor. They can help you to put a plan into place that you feel comfortable with.

Hope this has helped.

Take care,
Sam