In this module we will be learning about healthy and unhealthy online relationships.

Being respectful means doing things which show kindness and consideration for other people, places or things.Being respectful online includes:

• Being polite to others
• Using manners by sharing, waiting your turn, and saying please and thank you
• Not posting a photo or video of someone if they don’t want you to
• Giving a friend space if they need some time offline

Disrespectful behaviour is the opposite of being respectful. It involves situations where you:

• Are rude on purpose
• Damage other people’s things
• Send a friend lots of messages when they say they can’t be online right now, or
• Post a photo or video of someone when they asked you not to

Remember when we discussed ‘yes’ and ‘no’ feelings? Being respectful makes you feel ‘yes’ feelings, like happiness. ‘No’ feelings are when you are upset or sad. This can happen when someone is being disrespectful to you online.

Having respectful relationships with people you talk to online is an important part of staying safe.

The internet is a big place, filled with endless content. You could accidentally see something you didn’t want to see, or you might have gone looking for it – it’s natural to be curious!

Explicit or inappropriate content are photos, videos or words that can be upsetting, disturbing or offensive.

• Explicit content may include:
• Sexual content
• Violence
• Extremism or terrorism, and
• Hateful or offensive material

A large number of Aussie teens have seen explicit content online. If you have experienced this before, or if you experience this in the future, you are not alone.

Let’s go through some scenarios to see the impacts of seeing explicit content and why we should avoid it.

It’s important to remove yourself from any content you find disturbing. You should move away from the screen, change your safety settings or ask for help from a trusted adult.

The online world can make love a little more confusing. If you have met someone online, you might want to meet them straight away, or tell them how you feel about them

All these actions are normal. However, it is important to know that some actions might not be safe.

When you like or love someone, you might want to send photos of yourself to that person. These photos can be very personal and maybe even without clothes on.

A private photo or video is one that shows:

• A person’s private parts (whether bare or covered by underwear clothing)
• A private activity (such as a person undressing, using the bathroom or showering)
• A sexual act (such showing their private parts or posing without clothes), or
• A person without their religious clothing if they would normally wear it all the time

This is also known as sexting.

Even in a relationship with someone you know well, things can go wrong. They might share your private photos either by accident, or to try and embarrass you.

Once your photo is online it’s very hard to control what happens to it. This can lead to some serious consequences like:

• Humiliation, guilt, shame, or anger
• Bullying and teasing from people you know
• Damage to your reputation, and
• Getting in trouble with the police

Yes, sexting can be that serious.It is illegal to make, ask for or share private photos or videos of a person under 18 years, even if the person in the photo or video gave their permission.

If you need advice about sexting you can talk to a trusted adult, or make a report to the eSafety Commissioner. If you want to talk privately to someone else, you can call Kids Helpline or Headspace.
Let’s take a look at a few different types of sexting situations:

1. If you are under 18, don’t send nudes

It is illegal for you to send nude photos to people if you are under 18. If someone else sees these photos, they can report it. These laws are different for each state, so take a look at Youth Law to find out yours.

2. Someone is pressuring you to send nude pictures

Being pressured to send nudes is not okay. It might leave you feeling uncomfortable or even unsafe. Whether it’s a boyfriend, girlfriend, friend or stranger, if they are pressuring you to send a nude, it’s important to say no.

If this happens you can ask them to stop, or send them something else. It is always OK to say no.

If asking them to stop doesn’t work, stop talking to them. Report and block them, and get support from someone you trust.

3. Someone is threatening to share your nudes or has already shared your nudes

Sometimes a private photo or video can be shared without the person’s permission.

It doesn’t have to be a real photo – it could be photos or videos that have been drawn or photoshopped without permission.

Examples of this might include:

• Your ex threatening to share your nude images unless you get back together with them, or
• Receiving an email where someone claims they have your nudes. The person threatens to send the nudes to all your contacts unless you pay them money. This is a common scam tactic!

Permission is also called consent. When it comes to consent, it’s important to remember:

• Consent is giving your OK for something to be done
• Consent is not being pressured or threatened into saying yes
• Even if you say yes, you can always change your mind or say no at any time
• If someone asks you to delete a photo or video, you should do it straight away

4. You have been sent a private photo you didn’t want to see, or your friend is about to send a photo to someone

If someone you know is being asked for nudes, or you have been sent nudes of someone without their permission,you can do something to help.

It is important to tell someone. . You might feel uncomfortable, but it’s always good to let the person know that help is available. It’s also important to tell a trusted adult.

If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to that person, or you think they aren’t reporting it, you can report it yourself. Here are some places and people who can help:

• A trusted adult
• Local police
• eSafety commissioner
• Kids Helpline
• Headspace
• Reporting the content on the social media platform

You have the right to decide whether a photo or video of you can be shared.