Online Safety
QUICK LINKS:
This page is a list of online safety resources we think many will find useful. Most sites are non-profit or charity based, and the majority of information is freely available. The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) receives no financial compensation from any entities on this page and has no control over the content of their respective websites. We offer these resources out of the belief that they will be useful in educating the community. Always be discerning and skeptical when deciding how to stay safe online.
Resources for Teens and Kids
 | TheNeed Help Nowwebsite provides youth and parents with information about how to manage self/peer exploitation (“sexting”) incidents. The site features: • Steps youth can take to request images/videos be removed from websites |
 | Kids Help PhoneKids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French. |
 | The Canadian Centre for Child Protection reports an 89 per cent increase in the past two years in online sextortion cases among teenage boys.Dontgetsextorted.causes humour to talk to teens about sextortion and how they can keep themselves safe. If you’re aware of a youth that is being sextorted, visitcybertip.ca/sextortion |
Internet and the Law
| Cybertip.cais Canada’s national tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. Tips from the public can help protect children from sexual abuse. Canadians are encouraged to report concerns toCybertip.caif someone they know may be victimizing children online. For more information on addressing child victimization or to report concerns visitcybertip.ca. In addition,Cybertip.ca Alertsprovide important information to keep your family safe online, including concerning technology trends and new resources designed to increase children’s personal safety. |
 | TheRCMP'swebsite has helpful information on: |
Resources for Parents
 | Common Sense Mediahelps families make smart media choices. Theyoffer in-depth reviews and information for parents on Movies, TV Shows, Apps, Video games and much more. |
 | Smart Social has a usefulapp guide, and much more. From their website: "We atSmartSocial.combelieve that the internet can be a good thing, but there are a lot of misconceptions about how families should approach it. Our team helps to bring families up to speed on their digital footprint." |
 | ProtectKidsOnline.cahelps parents/guardians stay on top of the digital world their children are engaging in. On this site, you will find information about the ever-changing online interests of young people, the potential risks they face and proactive strategies to help keep your child/adolescent safe while online. |
 | Zoe & Molly Onlineis an interactive series that gives kids in Grade 3 and 4 an opportunity to have some fun while exploring what it means to be safe while playing games online. All the components of the Zoe & Molly Online program, including comics, an interactive game and online safety quiz, provide an engaging learning experience for children. As children progress through the website their level of internet safety knowledge and confidence will increase. |
Online Safety
 | Get Cyber Safeis a national public awareness campaign created to educate Canadians about internet security and the simple steps they can take to protect themselves online. The campaign's goal is to bring together all levels of government, the public and private sectors, and the international community, to help Canadians be safer online. The campaign is an important component ofCanada's Cyber Security Strategy, which is dedicated to securing government systems, partnering to secure vital cyber systems outside the federal government, and helping Canadians to be secure online. The campaign is being led by Public Safety Canada on behalf of the Government of Canada. |
 | TheCanadian Anti-Fraud Centrekeeps up to date on ongoing scams, and there are lots out there. Unsavory schemes will often sound quite legitimate. Scam artists can be very good at what they do.Never give your information online to someone you don't trust. Always be discerning when receiving a phone call you weren't expecting, or with door-to-door sales tactics. If something feels off, it probably is. |
TheCanadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P)is dedicated to the personal safety of all children. They offer a number of programs, services and resources for Canadians to help them protect children and reduce their risk of victimization. This page is the result of a collaborative effort between the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) and C3P, and contains several links to their resources. C3P has also worked closely with NRPS to produce informative hand-out literature, especially geared toward parents and teens.
