Back to school: Prioritizing cyber safety for families

Coquitlam

2024-08-28 12:57 PDT

As students head back to school, Coquitlam RCMP is urging parents to be mindful of the information they share online.

The start of a new school year is an exciting time for students and parents alike. September is marked with a flood of Back-to-School photos – smiling kids holding up a sign or placard with the date, their teachers name, likes and when I grow up statements. While these signs are a wonderful way to capture a snapshot of the special moment in your child’s life, sharing this photo online can lead to potential danger.

We would like to encourage all parents and youth to refrain from sharing too much information online, said Constable Ashleigh Daniels, a member of Coquitlam RCMP’s Youth Section. "If the wrong person was able to access these photos, they’d know where to find your child on school days, and have an easy point of reference to start conversations with them."

View a larger image – RCMP officer holds a back to school placard with children’s personal information

Constable Daniels reminds parents, Back to school can be a great time to talk to kids about online safety and to review the privacy settings on your family’s social media accounts, adding that app settings can change periodically without notice to their users. While privatizing your profile is a good idea to make things safer, Coquitlam RCMP also advise parents to consider taking a second photo - without the personal information – to share online on their child’s first day.

It’s always important to be aware of the background in photos you’re sharing on social media as well. People can inadvertently reveal house addresses, school names and license plate numbers in photos they believed to be safe for their online community reminds Constable Daniels. Think of every social media post as if you’re publishing that information – once its online it’s out of your control.

Here are some additional tips on how to keep your personal information protected while sharing online:

• When sharing online, ensure your profile isn’t public
• Avoid posting your child’s full name, age, weight and other personal details
• Avoid posting details about your child’s school, such as school name, teacher and/or division
• Avoid sharing your child’s favourite food, colour and similar likes

Coquitlam RCMP wishes all students and teachers a very safe return!

More information on how to be Back-to-School safe.

Released by:

Email: coquitlam_media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
Website: coquitlam.rcmp-grc.gc.ca (English only)

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