St. Thomas, ON – Wednesday July 15th 2026
Online Safety Reminders for Families
Social media, gaming platforms and messaging apps give young people opportunities to connect, learn and create. They can also expose youth to unwanted contact, cyberbullying, scams, harmful content and pressure to share personal information or intimate images.
STPS Youth Engagement Mascots CRU and SADER are sharing these important online safety reminders:
- Keep accounts private and only connect with people you know.
- Turn off unnecessary location sharing.
- Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication.
- Review followers, connected devices, privacy settings and app permissions regularly.
- Never click unexpected links or share passwords and verification codes.
- Block and report suspicious accounts, harmful content or unwanted contact.
- Never send personal or intimate images in response to pressure or threats.
- Speak with a trusted adult when something online feels uncomfortable, frightening or unsafe.
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to ask questions, listen without judgment and talk regularly with youth about their online experiences. Making it clear that they can ask for help without immediately losing access to their devices can make it easier for youth to speak up when something goes wrong.
If a child or youth is being threatened or exploited online, preserve the messages, usernames and account information. Do not pay money or comply with further demands. Report the incident to police.
Online safety starts with awareness, open conversation and knowing when to ask for help.
Scroll smart. Stay safe. Speak up.