Internet Safety for Children

With students back in school and using the Internet on a regular basis for research, essays and entertainment it is important that we ensure that our children are safe while they are searching on the Internet.

Our school districts take great pains and time to ensure students will be safe while on the Internet; at schoolteachers monitor the use of Internet, so ensure you monitor what your children are looking at when they are at home. They should also report any inappropriate sites that they come across while surfing.

A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING" - Internet Safety for Kids
		Brochure
		Poster
		Print-quality Poster

Ideally a computer used by children should be placed in a common area easily supervised. Chat rooms may seem fun for them to talk to other children of their same age, but they have to be careful what information they provide on line. Chat is about as private as having a phone call with parents listening in on the other extension. They should never give out any personal information about themselves, such as full names, addresses, and phone numbers. Do not agree to meet anyone offline.

Remember people who would harm children have lots of time, experience and knowledge on how to trap children. These uninvited guests are con artists fraudsters, thieves, sex offenders, stalkers, and some who are just plain weird. Children are amateurs compared to them. While children do have a reasonable right to privacy, parents have a stronger moral, ethical and legal responsibility to keep them from harm.

See text from Internet Safety for Kids brochure in the Kid's Stuff section of this website

There is more information in the pamphlet – Guide for Parents, Children and Computers: The Hidden Danger – available from the Medicine Hat Police Service

Other Internet resources:

Online Sexual Exploitation of Children
Cybertip.ca is Canada's National Tipline for reporting the online sexual exploitation of children. It is a centralized web portal for receiving and addressing reports from the public regarding child pornography, luring, child sex tourism, and children who are exploited through prostitution. Cybertip.ca also provides the public with information, referrals and other resources to help Canadians keep their children safe while on the Internet. Visit cybertip.ca

Child Find Canada has information on internet safety for Kids

Safe Kids - Rules for Online Safety

BC Ministry of Education - Internet Safety Tips for Parents

Protect Kids.org

Reporting Internet Crime
If you receive any suspicious information over the internet that you want to bring to the attention of the Medicine Hat Police please send an e-mail message to "hatcybercop@medicinehat.ca"

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