PG RCMP seeing increase in cyberbullying, sexting complaints with school back in session

We are barely a month into the new school year in Prince George but the RCMP has received a spike in reports from schools regarding sexting, sextortion, and cyberbullying.

As a result, police are reminding families of the importance of staying safe on social media platforms.

In a release, the detachment offered a few tips to assist the community.

“We spend a lot of time in schools speaking with children and youth about social media, stated Constable Mireille Haunts, Community Policing Officer. We start with the grade three students, talking about general online safety and privacy. As the students get older, we start talking about topics like sexting and sextortion, cyberbullying, and even human trafficking. It’s important that students learn about the potential risks involved when they are using social media.”

Officers also encourage parents to speak with their kids and teens about social media. Ask what social media platforms they are using and make sure you are comfortable with them sharing information that way. Talk with them about what to do if they see or have done something online that makes them uncomfortable.

Further safety tips to help you stay safe online:

• Keep personal details shared online or in chats to a minimum.
• Remember everything online is instant, public, and permanent.
• Use the Grandma rule: if you wouldn’t say it to grandma, don’t say it online.
• Set the platform’s privacy settings to limit the information you broadcast on social media.

Parents and students can visit the following websites to access further resources.

For parents:
BCRCMP Online Safety
Cybertip.ca
ProtectKidsOnline.ca

For kids:
Zoe & Molly Online
NetSmartzKids

For youth:
NeedHelpNow.ca
Don’tGetSextorted.ca