Alberta parents are being urged to closely monitor their children’s internet use as the COVID-19 pandemic carries on.
With children spending more time online during the outbreak, there has been a rise in the danger, says Alberta’s internet child exploitation unit, with a record number of investigative referrals during the past month.
In March, the unit had 243 reported instances of online child exploitation, far above the two-year monthly average of 110.
“With children being home from school, not only are they spending more time online, but it appears that so are the predators. And they are looking to take advantage of our most vulnerable population: our kids,” said Supt. Dwayne Lakusta, the unit’s CEO.
“As a parent myself, I have recently noticed some concerning online behaviour and have had to be even more diligent in monitoring what apps my child is using and who they are engaging with. All parents need to be vigilant of their kids’ online activities.”
Across the province, during the first three months of 2020, the unit made 21 arrests and laid 61 charges.
The unit is anticipating another spike in April and has teamed up with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection to help parents become more vigilant.
Its website, www.cybertip.ca, has experienced an increase in reports involving offenders trying to lure and extort children through chat and live streaming platforms.
“Now, more than ever, parents and guardians must be vigilant in knowing who their children are connecting with online,” said Signy Arnason, associate executive director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
Some of the tips to help parents include having regular conversations about online safety, as well as setting expectations about internet activity.
Parents can also help create logins for younger kids and set up privacy settings in any apps, games or social media accounts.