Flynt/Dreamstime

By Jesse Gill

CYBER SAFETY

Brooks RCMP provide cyber safety tips for parents

Jul 28, 2025 | 10:19 AM

Brooks RCMP are reminding parents to stay vigilant about their children’s online activity.

Mounties say children and teens are spending more time on platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, Roblox, and gaming devices like Xbox and PlayStation over the summer months.

They warn that online predators will use private chat groups and direct messages to target youth, initiating contact through gaming platforms and social media, then quickly moving conversations to private, unmonitored spaces.

RCMP say what starts as a friendly chat can quickly escalate into something dangerous.

They add that in some cases, it can take as little as 10 minutes from first contact to becoming a victim of sextortion or other forms of online exploitation.

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Tips for Parents and Guardians:

• Talk openly and regularly with your child about who they’re interacting with online.
• Remind them never to share personal photos, information, or passwords.
• Set parental controls and privacy settings on all devices and apps.
• Check friend lists and block unknown or suspicious accounts.
• Encourage your child to talk to you if anything online makes them uncomfortable.

Mounties say if you suspect your child is being targeted online or has already been victimized, you can report to police by calling 310-RCMP or at www.cybertips.ca.