Vigilance, education needed to keep kids safe online

Today is International Safer Internet Day, and Greater Sudbury Police are encouraging residents to get informed about the dangers that lurk online.

“Young people are facing new risks online every day, from cyberbullying by their peers to extortion by adults,” a release from Chief Paul Pedersen said. “Statistics show that 94 per cent of Canadian children are regular users of the internet at home. There are so many advantages to using the internet, but the potential for child exploitation -- including cyberbullying and online threats – are always there.

“Parents need to know what their loved ones are doing on the Web in order to prevent them from being victimized.”

Police are encouraging parents and young people to visit www.saferinternetday.ca where they can find Internet safety resources and tools from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.

Police school liaison and school resource officers have promoted Internet safety in elementary and secondary schools for many years, and messages have also been presented to parents.

“In the last few years, the issue of youth exploitation and cyberbullying has become a growing concern for parents and school personnel across Canada,” Signy Arnason, director of Cybertip.ca, says in the release.

“By working together with policing agencies across Canada, we are broadening our reach and ensuring that parents and educators have access to the critical resources they need when addressing the collision between sexual exploitation, technology and bullying among peers.”

The Greater Sudbury Police Service also encourages everyone to sign up for Cybertip.ca ALERTS, a notification system that offers vital information to the public concerning technology trends and new resources designed to increase children and teen safety. Visit www.Cybertip.ca to sign up today.

The Greater Sudbury Police Service cybercrime unit is part of the Ontario Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet, made possible by a grant from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Ministry of the Attorney General.