OPP urges parents to get web savvy

February 9, 2010 is Safer Internet Day

ORILLIA, ON, Feb. 8 /CNW/ - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) joins international policing organizations in celebrating Safer Internet Day - an international effort to raise awareness of the vulnerability of young people on the internet, email and cell phones.

The OPP marks Safer Internet Day with a reminder to parents and young people that the internet is a wonderful tool - when used wisely. "The Internet provides many excellent learning opportunities for children while opening another door to their exploitation," said Inspector Scott Naylor of the OPP Child Sexual Exploitation Unit. "Parents need to educate themselves about the technology their children are using to adequately protect them. Unfortunately, most parents are lagging far behind their children in their understanding of web technology."

    
    What parents can do to protect their children:

    -   Be involved and know your child's online activity
    -   Keep the computer in an open area of the home
    -   Remind children to protect their passwords; encourage them not to
        share passwords with friends
    -   Use caution with web cams, unplug web cams when they're not in use
        and;
    -   Be sure of who they're talking to before allowing them to turn on a
        web cam
    -   Make sure children are cautious with what they post online
    -   Know their online friends the same way they know friends in real life

    The OPP Crime Prevention Section has a number of tip sheets for both
parents and children relating to safe Internet use at opp.ca/ecms/index

                                 www.opp.ca

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For further information: Cst. Monica Cachagee, Provincial On Line Risk Coordinator, OPP Crime Prevention Section, Phone: [phone]; Insp. Scott Naylor, Child Sexual Exploitation Unit, Phone: [phone]