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By David Opinko

Feb. 11 is “Safer Internet Day” – how to stay safe

Feb 11, 2020 | 3:07 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – February 11 marks the worldwide Safer Internet Day, and in the spirit of that, Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) and the Lethbridge Sexual Violence Action Committee are offering tips to the public.

“From online gaming, shopping and watching videos to reading the latest news and socializing the internet is full of fun and information,” reads a media release from LPS. “However, the internet has also created a haven for criminals where they can hide anonymously in an effort to lure and sexually exploit those who are vulnerable – especially children.”

Online luring, as defined by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, involves communication between a young person and often an older individual through technology like texting to make it easier to commit a specific sexual offence against the younger person.

An example of a communication that could qualify as online luring is if the person asks, hints at or tries to convince a young person to create or send naked or semi-naked sexual pictures or videos.

In 2018-2019, ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation Units had:

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• 24 child interventions
• 380,351 child exploitation photos/videos identified
• 1,601 exhibits advertising devices seized
• 212 terabytes of data analyzed

Officials say some tactics used by online predators can include:

• Charming, flirtatious, complimentary and engaging personalities that can lead to being sexual or coercive in nature
• They know how to groom and exploit. They will want conversations in private to avoid detection by parents, friends, etc.
• They can ask a lot of questions to seek out personal information and to find weaknesses to exploit or use to threaten
• They can stalk a child/young person’s use of the internet, family and friends
• Offer gifts
• Say things that make the child/youth uncomfortable
• Ask the child/youth to lie or try to isolate them from friends and family
• Request pictures/videos
• Profess their love
• May threaten the child/youth
• May pressure the child/youth to meet in person

Parents, caregivers, and teachers are urged to keep open communications with the youths in their lives.

• “Teach young people NOT to respond to messages that make them uncomfortable – and show them how to delete messages, block messages and encourage them to tell a safe adult in their life.”
• “Explain the role of adults – adults should never give sexual attention or become their “friends” – this is crossing a boundary that is unsafe, unethical and, if sexual, illegal.”

Some of the resources that are available include:

• Canadian Centre for Child Protection
• Cyber Tip
• Project Arachnid
• Public Safety Canada Child Exploitation
• ALERT

Online child luring or exploitation can be reported to Lethbridge Police at 403-328-4444, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or online at cybertip.ca