St. Thomas, ON – Monday September 1st 2025
CRU & SADER — Back to School Cyber Safety
As students head back to school, online risks can increase. With new classmates, group projects, and after-school activities, kids often connect with more people online and use new apps. CRU & SADER want to help keep your family safe.
Top Back-to-School Cyber Safety Tips
1. Review Privacy Settings
Check privacy settings on all apps, including messaging, gaming, and social media. Make accounts private and limit who can contact your child.
2. Use Strong Security
Enable two-factor authentication on email, school portals and social media. Use strong, unique passwords for each account.
3. Think Before You Share
Remind kids that once a photo, video or message is sent, it can be saved and shared. Avoid posting personal information, including school name, schedule or location.
4. Beware of Strangers
Only accept friend requests or messages from people you know in real life. If someone makes you uncomfortable online, block and report them.
5. Recognize Scams and Phishing
Teach kids to avoid clicking links from unknown senders. Scammers may pretend to be teachers, classmates or school staff.
6. Monitor Screen Time
Set limits for recreational screen time, especially on school nights. Encourage balance between online and offline activities.
7. Stay Involved
Have regular conversations about what your child is doing online. Encourage them to speak up if they encounter something unsafe or upsetting.
A safe school year starts with safe online habits. Stay alert, stay smart and stay safe online.
