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Create an Online Community

Create an Online Community
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Create a safe, private online community with adult permission by designing rules, a logo, posts, and inviting friends while practicing digital citizenship.

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Step-by-step guide to create a safe, private online community

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Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

Together We Can | Learn How to Participate in Your Community | PBS KIDS

What you need
Adult supervision required, colouring materials such as markers crayons or colored pencils, paper, pencil, sticky notes

Step 1

Decide on a fun name and write a one-sentence purpose for your online community.

Step 2

Write 3 to 6 simple safety rules on paper that everyone must follow.

Step 3

Sketch a logo for your group on paper using simple shapes.

Step 4

Color your logo using your colouring materials so it looks bright and friendly.

Step 5

Write a short welcome message for new members on a piece of paper.

Step 6

Write one example post that shows the kind of friendly content members can share.

Step 7

Ask an adult to help create the new group online and set the privacy to private or invite-only.

Step 8

Upload your colored logo as the group image with the help of your adult.

Step 9

Add your rules to the group description or pin them as a rules post so everyone can see them.

Step 10

Post your welcome message in the group so new members know what to do first.

Step 11

With your adult, invite the friends you have chosen to join the group.

Step 12

Write a short moderation plan saying who will approve posts and how rule problems will be handled and show it to your adult.

Step 13

Share your finished online community project on DIY.org.

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

Complete & Share
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Help!?

What can we use if we don't have colouring materials, paper, or a device to upload the logo?

Use crayons, cut magazine pictures or stickers to color a cardboard or notebook page for the logo, then ask your adult to photograph the finished paper with their phone to upload it when you complete the step 'Upload your colored logo as the group image'.

What should we do if the group privacy can't be set to private or the logo won't upload?

Have your adult check the platform's group settings for 'private' or 'invite-only' during the 'Ask an adult to help create the new group online' step, and if the logo won't upload, save it as a smaller JPG or PNG photo and try again or rename the file before uploading.

How can we change the activity for different ages?

For younger children simplify to 1–3 safety rules, let an adult type the welcome message and post the logo photo for 'Post your welcome message' and 'Upload your colored logo', while older kids can write a longer purpose, a detailed moderation plan and set up the invite-only group themselves with their adult's supervision.

How can we extend or personalize our online community project after finishing the basic steps?

Add member roles and weekly themes, pin the rules post, create a short welcome video or infographic for 'Post your welcome message', and then share the improved group on DIY.org as the final 'Share your finished online community project' step.

Watch videos on how to create a safe, private online community

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Here at SafeTube, we're on a mission to create a safer and more delightful internet. 😊

How To Build An Online Community (Complete Guide w/ Tom Ross)

4 Videos

Facts about digital citizenship

🔐 Clear rules plus an adult moderator help prevent sharing of personal info and keep communities safe.

🛡️ Digital citizenship teaches kids how to be safe, respectful, and responsible online.

📜 Early online communities started with bulletin board systems and Usenet in the 1970s–80s.

👥 Private online communities let members join by invitation or approval to keep spaces more secure.

🎨 Simple logos with 1–2 bold colors are easier for friends to recognize at tiny sizes.

How do I help my child create a safe private online community?

Start by getting adult permission and choosing a platform with strong privacy controls (closed group, invite-only). Decide the community’s purpose, write simple rules together, and design a logo and sample post. Invite only known friends with parental approval, set one or more adult moderators, and agree on how to handle problems (reporting, removing posts). Teach digital citizenship, review settings regularly, and do supervised launch and ongoing check-ins.

What materials do I need to create a private online community with my child?

You’ll need a device with internet access and an account on a kid-friendly or privacy-focused platform, plus adult permission. For creative elements use paper/markers or simple graphic tools (free logo maker, photo editor). Prepare a printed or digital checklist for rules, a list of approved friends with contact info, and a privacy-settings guide. Optionally have a consent note parents can sign and a way to moderate posts (shared calendar or moderator account).

What ages is creating an online community suitable for?

This activity suits children roughly 8–14 with adult supervision. Younger kids (6–7) can take part in design and rules with close parental control, while older tweens and teens (13–16+) can help lead and manage more of the process. Always follow platform age rules and increase independence gradually: start with full adult moderation, then move to co-moderation as the child demonstrates safe behavior and good judgment.

What safety tips and benefits come from creating a private online community?

A private community builds teamwork, creativity, and digital citizenship while teaching boundaries. For safety, keep the group invite-only, limit personal information, use pseudonyms if preferred, and approve every member with parental consent. Appoint adults as moderators, set clear consequences for rule-breaking, enable reporting/blocking tools, and review posts together. Regular check-ins promote learning and help children practice respectful communication and responsible online habits.
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