Collaborating with other learners is one of the best parts of an online course. We want to support you in getting the most out of your course, but it’s important to stay safe online, especially if you’re under 18. We’ve put together some simple guidance for you below. 

Whenever you access the internet, send photos or messages online, you leave a digital trail that other people can see. Sometimes this is used to tailor advertising to your interests, but it can also be seen by employers and used by other people to work out your identity. It’s important to be mindful of your digital footprint and the information you’re sharing online to help keep you safe – it can also help you when you apply for a job or to university.

Be careful what you share on our website 

The only people who can see what you share on Canvas are the other course participants, your tutor, and our staff. We won’t publish your information, nor will it be searchable via search engines such as Google.

However, you should still be careful. Never share your personal information or contact details with other participants or educators: things like your exact location, email address, home address, school name, phone number, date of birth, and so on. Don't share anybody else’s information either, such as your parents’, siblings’, or teachers’ or friends’. 

This applies to all your interactions in your course, from whole-cohort discussions to private messages. You should also think carefully about the information you’re sharing in your profile. All of the course participants can see it – for example, are you using an appropriate profile picture of yourself? 

If anybody asks for your personal details, including your tutor, don’t answer them. Instead, report it to your tutor or contact us; you can find out how to do this in “How do I report somebody?” below. 

Our staff only have the information from your booking details and what you share on Canvas. We won’t ask for any additional personally identifiable information. 

If you see somebody else share their personal details, please contact us. 

Please be aware that our tutors and staff have access to all public and private messaging on the platform to ensure we can appropriately monitor learner safety.

Be careful what you share elsewhere 

Check your social media privacy settings, including sites and apps that you might not think are social media – TikTok, Reddit, blog platforms like Tumblr, and so on. You might find it helpful to Google your own name. Are you comfortable with the information being shared if someone looks up your name?