Summer is a time for fun, adventure, and making memories—but it’s also important to stay safe. Whether you’re spending more time with family, playing online, hanging out with friends, working a summer job, or traveling, knowing how to protect yourself is key.
This guide is here to help you stay safe from things like abuse and cyberbullying, and promote digital safety. With these simple tips, you can enjoy your summer with confidence, knowing how to make smart choices and where to go for help if you ever need it.
Digital Safety 
In the digital world, you can explore new places, meet new people, and share or learn about anything online. You can do so many things with technology, but it is important to understand that there are very real, very dangerous risks associated with using the Internet and technology.
Online dangers may include: seeing inappropriate images online, sexting (sending or receiving inappropriate pictures), cyberbullying, apps and websites using your pictures and information, Identity theft, and people online pretending to be someone they’re not.
Did you know that studies show that up to 60% of teens show signs of cell phone addiction, and over 60 million people across the globe struggle with video game addiction? Too much screen time can cause physical changes to your brain. It can also negatively affect your sleep, health, and cause depression and anxiety.
SCREEN TIME
Without school, homework, or after-school activities this summer, you will inevitably spend more time on your digital devices. With fewer structured responsibilities and more free time, it’s easy to turn to phones, tablets, and computers for entertainment, connection, or simply to pass the time. Whether you’re scrolling through social media, watching videos, playing games, or chatting with friends, digital devices offer instant access to a world of content and interaction. While this can be enjoyable and convenient, it’s important to be mindful of screen time and find a balance by including outdoor play, reading, hobbies, and face-to-face socializing in your summer routine.
To help keep you safe, here are some tips you should follow when playing online games, apps, chatrooms, and virtual reality sites:
- Protect your Personal Information – Never share your real name, address, number, school, or passwords with people you meet online. If your parents allow you to use the chat features while playing online, be cautious.
- Don’t accept friend requests or chat with people you don’t know in real life.
- Limit Screen Time – Set healthy boundaries on how long you play to avoid overuse and maintain balance with offline activities.
- Avoid In-Game Purchases Without Permission from your parents or caregivers. And watch out for Scams and “Free” Offers – Everything you see online is not always true. Don’t click on pop-ups or download “free” items.
- Use Safety Rule #4 to Talk It Up to a Safe Adult if you encounter inappropriate content or other unsafe situations online. Safe Adults can provide guidance and support. It may be scary to talk to adults about issues because you may fear that they may respond harshly, but Safe Adults can help you address issues before they arise and help you stay safe.
- Talk to a Safe Friend and ask them to support you and help you talk to a Safe Adult. You can also talk to your friends about their behaviors online or while using technology and encourage each other to make responsible choices to help keep all of you safe.
Additional Resource:
CYBERBULLYING
One out of five kids is, or will be, cyberbullied at some point. And yes, that means it could even happen to you. Although you’re on a summer break from school, cyberbullying never takes a vacation.
Cyberbullying is repeated, threatening, or harassing behavior that occurs online via the Internet, cellphone, or other digital technology.
If you are a victim of cyberbullying, here are some tips on how to respond:
- Know What’s Up – Chat rooms, online games, apps, and virtual reality sites are familiar places that cyberbullies and predators hang out.
- Do not respond or message back.
- Talk It Up – Tell a Safe Adult; they will help you report the bullying. You could also talk to a Safe Friend for support if a Safe Adult is not immediately available.
- Make a Move – With the help of a Safe Adult, save, copy, and/or print out any evidence of cyberbullying. Block the cyberbully and report them to the social media site or website where the cyberbullying is happening.
- If the cyberbullying doesn’t stop, report it to your local law enforcement agency with the help of a Safe Adult.
DIGITAL REPUTATION
Everything you do online impacts your digital reputation. Even with privacy settings, everything you post and do online could be made public, and others may be able to access your information, posts, and pictures.
Once you’ve posted or shared content, you can’t control what happens next. Anyone can screenshot or save an image, and you can’t stop them from posting or sharing it. Once something is online, it can be difficult to remove completely and could affect you in the future, like when you’re applying for college or for a job.
Sometimes, we trust people who don’t deserve that trust, or someone makes a mistake and accidentally shares our information. If that happens, you can get help from your Safe Adult or through organizations like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which has a program called Take It Down that can help you delete your explicit images online.
THINK BEFORE YOU POST! When posting on social media, you should never expect your posts to remain private. “Only my friends will see” is too often the famous last words for so many people who have posted to a private group, sent a private message, or posted a “disappearing” story, before those posts are screenshot and shared.
“Think Before You Post” reminds you to consider the potential consequences of what you share online:
- T – Is it True?
- H – Is it Helpful?
- I – Is it Inspiring?
- N – Is it Necessary?
- K – Is it Kind?
Additional Resource:
PEOPLE AND PLACES 
Summer is always an adventure! Summer is a time when you attend camps, take vacations, and do other programs to have fun and be active. Even if you’re not attending a summer camp program, there are still many new places that you will go.
OUT AND ABOUT
- Stay Aware of Your Surroundings – Always know where you are and who’s around you. Trust your instincts—if something feels off, remove yourself from the situation.
- Stick With a [Safe] Friend – Use the buddy system whenever possible—especially when going on hikes, to the movies, or out for a coffee or ice cream.. Keep your Safe Adult updated on where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
- Keep Important Info Handy – Cellphones are not always 100% reliable, so it’s important to keep important information on hand. Carry a copy of emergency contacts, medical info, and your ID (or camp-issued ID).
- Limit Tech Use – As much as you love to scroll, limit your tech use when out and about in familiar AND unfamiliar places; avoid being distracted in unfamiliar areas. Be mindful when using phones or posting online—don’t share your exact location in real-time.
- See Something, Say Up – If someone is bullying you or another camper, or making you feel unsafe, tell a Safe Adult immediately.
BODY SAFETY
No matter where you are, understanding and practicing body safety is essential. These tips are designed to help you stay confident, safe, and in control of your personal boundaries.
MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
Just as much as summer break presents the opportunity to travel and be with friends more often, it can also reduce the amount of time you spend with others because you’re stuck at home and not in school. Being away from the routine and social interaction of school can lead to feelings of isolation, sadness, or anxiety.
As you get older and gain more independence, your decisions will impact your personal safety. This is true of your mental health as well, because there are things you can do to help maintain mental and emotional health and wellness.
Stay off social AI companion apps – These apps are designed to create false relationships between you and an AI bot, offering romance and friendship. These blur the lines between what is real and what is fake.
“Help” is not a Bad Word – MBF Safety Rule #5 No Blame | No Shame teaches youth to never feel ashamed to seek help and talk to someone if they ever need help…There’s no shame in asking for help and support. “Help” is not a bad word. If you need help, reach out to a Safe Adult.
SETTING BOUNDARIES
Practice your Refusal Skills – It is important that you learn refusal skills, or how to say, “No” when someone offers you drugs, alcohol, or tobacco/nicotine products. Safety Rule #3, Make a Move and Safety Rule #4, Talk it Up can help you.
- Stay away. If you know drugs and alcohol are going to be at a party or somewhere else, STAY AWAY from those places. Avoiding these types of situations altogether is the best way to avoid peer pressure.
- Walk away. You can just stand up and walk away. You don’t have to stay and explain if you don’t want to. You can just leave and go to a safe place and seek out a Safe Adult or someone you trust, like a Safe Friend.
- Distract them. Suggest a different activity. Change the subject or change locations to remove yourself from the situation.
- Say “No” using an assertive voice. You don’t have to be loud or mean, but you do have to be clear that you are not interested.
- Say “No” again and add a “Why” statement. For example, say “No thanks. I don’t want to risk losing my spot on the soccer team, and I need to keep my mind and body focused.” Use body language. Act confident, use eye contact, be direct, and stay firm.
- Make an excuse. If you feel more comfortable, you can make an excuse, like saying you can’t because you have to be somewhere soon. It’s a good idea to create a signal with your parents or caregivers to let them know you want to leave a situation without drawing attention to it. For example, you can text them a certain emoji or a family password to signal that you want them to call you and come and pick you up right away.
CONSENT IS COOL
Whether it’s sharing a photo, giving a hug, or being in a relationship, consent means giving explicit, enthusiastic, and voluntary permission for something to happen. It involves respect, trust, communication, and boundaries. And just because someone says “yes” once, does not mean it’s a “yes” forever. Anyone can change their mind at any time, and their boundaries should always be respected. If the answer isn’t a clear “yes,” it’s a no. Understanding and practicing consent builds trust and keeps everyone safe and respected.
Here are a few tips to help guide you:
- Always Ask First – Don’t assume, it’s always better to check and make sure.
- Know It’s Okay to Say No – You don’t have to do something that feels wrong, even if others are pressuring you. Respect your own boundaries and those of others.
- Consent Matters Online, Too – Before posting or sharing someone’s photos, stories, or messages, get their okay. Digital boundaries are just as important as physical ones.
- Be Aware of Power and Pressure – If someone feels pressured, manipulated, or afraid to say no, that’s not real consent. Make sure no one feels obligated or unsafe in the situation.
Watch this video to better understand the concept of consent.
MBF 5 SAFETY RULES 
Abuse, bullying, cyberbullying, digital dangers, online exploitation, and human trafficking are all very real dangers in our world. And none of us can ever think, “It won’t happen to me,” or that “It won’t happen in my school or community.” The reality is that youth are victimized every day, in every community, regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, family status, or anything else.
The MBF 5 Safety Rules© are strategies designed to help you identify and respond to abuse, bullying, and other types of victimization. You can use them to know when a situation or person is unsafe and how to get help from a Safe Adult.
SAFETY RULE #1
Safety Rule #1 is Know What’s Up 
Safety Rule #1 – Know What’s Up means you are aware of your environment and people around you, both online and in other parts of your life, that may impact your safety and the safety of others. This includes things like:
- Knowing your personal information and your parent’s, guardian’s, caregiver’s, or Safe Adult’s work or cell phone numbers (many people have numbers saved in their phones but do not have the numbers memorized). This allows you to contact them during emergencies, or in times of need, even if you don’t have your cell phone.
- Being aware of the social interactions of those around you (social awareness), and knowing whether situations are safe and appropriate, and if people’s behaviors are safe or not.
- Understanding if websites, apps, and online behaviors are safe and appropriate. For example, most people don’t read the Terms and Conditions before downloading apps, giving many developers access to your personal information and your pictures.
- Knowing how to make decisions that will help keep you safe as you get older and assume more responsibility.
SAFETY RULE #2
Safety Rule #2 is Spot Red Flags 
Safety Rule #2 – Spot Red Flags means you recognize potential dangers, online or in real life. Red Flags may include:
- Bullying, cyberbullying, or other inappropriate online behavior.
- Adults or other teens trying to trick, force, or manipulate you into unsafe or inappropriate situations.
- Controlling behaviors or emotional or physical abuse between partners in a relationship.
SAFETY RULE #3
Safety Rule #3 is Make a Move 
Safety Rule #3 – Make a Move means taking action after recognizing a person or situation is unsafe because of red flags. Taking action can include:
- GET AWAY from an unsafe situation or person if you can, or
- STAY AWAY from unsafe or inappropriate people and situations.
SAFETY RULE #4
Safety Rule #4 – Talk It Up 
Safety Rule #4 – Talk It Up means using your voice to help keep yourself and others safe. Here are some ways you can Talk It Up:
- Use an assertive voice to say, “No” to an adult or another teen crossing your personal boundaries or demonstrating unsafe or inappropriate behaviors to you or others.
- Report unsafe people, situations, or behaviors to a Safe Adult. Not reporting, to avoid being seen as a snitch, allows problems to continue to grow and may cause more damaging long-term consequences.
- Talk to a Safe Friend and ask them to support you and help you talk to a Safe Adult.
SAFETY RULE #5
Safety Rule #5 – No Blame | No Shame 
Safety Rule #5 – No Blame | No Shame, reminds you that you should never feel ashamed to talk to a Safe Adult if you’ve been hurt or about decisions you’ve made that increased your risk of harm, because making mistakes is inevitable as you mature. Talking to a Safe Adult can help you learn and help you avoid negative consequences.
- It also reminds you that it is never too late to tell a Safe Adult and seek help if you have ever been hurt in the past.
- Talking to a Safe Adult and asking for help if you feel unsafe, or have made an unsafe or inappropriate decision, can help you learn from the experience. It can also help you avoid further negative consequences.
Summer is a time for fun, friends, and adventure—but it’s also important to stay safe. By knowing how to protect yourself from unsafe situations, you can have a great summer and feel more confident. Always talk to a Safe Adult if something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried. Remember, being safe means being smart and strong. Have fun, make good choices, and enjoy every moment of your summer break!
