The County OPP is currently conducting two internet luring investigations involving children, and is issuing reminders to parents of the importance of setting guidelines and rules for their children on the use of the internet.
OPP Constable Keith Robb said that now that children are out of school for the summer, they will probably spend a considerable amount of time on the computer and internet. The OPP suggests that parents make up a set of mutually agreed upon rules for children to follow, and keep it posted by the computer.
Some basic rules to consider are:
– computers should not be in a child’s bedroom, it should be placed in a common area where the parents can monitor its use;
– never talk to strangers;
– do not give out personal information;
– do not give out my Internet password to anyone but my parents;
– do not do anything online that is illegal or that will offend anyone;
– do not use bad language;
– help teach parents more about computers and the Internet;
– do not keep secrets about online experiences from parents;
– if someone asks me to do something I am not supposed to do, I will tell my parents; and
– I will never meet face-to-face with anyone that I met online without my parents’ permission and attendance.
Parents can also purchase programs that will monitor their children’s activities while on the internet, as well as their conversations in chat rooms and even their emails.
The OPP child pornography unit can be reached at 905-612-7064.
