Why It's Important
Ensuring youth are safe online is a fundamental responsibility for every community. While the internet offers incredible opportunities for learning and connection, it also exposes young people to risks like cyberbullying, online predators, scams, and harmful content. Proactively teaching youth online safety skills is not about restricting their access, but about empowering them with the critical thinking and resilience they need to navigate the digital world safely and confidently. For remote and coastal communities, where online life can be a vital social lifeline, this is especially important for youth mental health and well-being. As the Government of Canada's Get Cyber Safe campaign emphasizes, digital literacy is a key part of protecting our next generation.
History
The issue of youth online safety emerged in the late 1990s with the rise of public chat rooms and instant messaging. However, the explosion of social media and smartphones in the late 2000s and 2010s brought these issues to the forefront. Cyberbullying, in particular, became a major concern as it could follow a young person home from school and be inescapable. This led to a wave of public awareness campaigns and the development of new laws and school policies across Canada. Organizations like MediaSmarts have been pioneers in this field, conducting a long-running national study called "Young Canadians in a Wired World" to track youth online behaviour and develop evidence-based resources for parents and educators.
Examples
Kids Help Phone: A national Canadian charity that provides free, confidential, 24/7 mental health support to young people, including specific resources and counselling for victims of cyberbullying.
The RCMP's Centre for Youth Crime Prevention: Provides a variety of resources and programs for schools and communities on topics like online safety and bullying prevention.
Pink Shirt Day: A national anti-bullying campaign that originated in Nova Scotia and has a strong focus on raising awareness about cyberbullying.
TELUS Wise: A free digital literacy education program from TELUS that offers workshops and resources for all ages, including specific modules on cyberbullying and online safety for youth.
Software and Tools
Parental Control Software (Apple Screen Time, Google Family Link): Tools built directly into iOS and Android devices that allow parents to set time limits on apps, filter inappropriate content, and manage app purchases.
Privacy Settings on Social Media Apps: All major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat have robust privacy settings. Teaching youth how to make their accounts private is a critical first step.
Reporting and Blocking Tools: Every reputable social media platform and online game has built-in tools to block harassers and report abusive content. Youth need to be taught where these tools are and how to use them.
Password Managers (Bitwarden, 1Password): These tools help create and store strong, unique passwords for every online account, which is a foundational online safety skill. Bitwarden offers a free version.
Get Cyber Safe's Assessment Tool: A simple quiz from the Government of Canada that youth can take to test their knowledge of online safety.
AI Considerations
AI is creating new risks for youth online, such as the creation of realistic "deepfake" images or videos for bullying, or AI-powered chatbots that can be used to scam or groom young people. However, AI can also be part of the solution. AI-powered content moderation systems are getting better at automatically detecting and removing bullying language and harmful content from platforms. For youth, the most important AI-related skill is critical thinking: understanding that not everything they see or interact with online is real, and being skeptical of messages from "strangers," whether human or AI.
FAQ
There is no "magic" age. It depends on the child's maturity level and the family's needs. The more important thing is to have clear rules and conversations in place before they get the device.
The first step is to block the person and report the content to the platform. It is also crucial for the young person to tell a trusted adult so they can get the support they need. Saving screenshots of the bullying messages can be important for evidence.
This is a personal family decision. Many experts recommend it, at least for younger teens, as a way to stay connected and aware of their online world, as long as it's done from a place of trust, not surveillance.
Warning signs can include being secretive or upset after being online, a sudden drop in grades, changes in mood or behaviour, or an unwillingness to go to school.
Sexting is sending or receiving sexually explicit images or messages. The primary risks for youth are that these private images can be shared without their consent (a form of bullying) and, depending on the age of the individuals involved, it can have legal consequences related to child pornography laws.
Pro Tips
Improve your understanding of youth online safety by learning how to set strong passwords, adjust privacy settings, and identify and block abusive accounts. Encourage young people to think before posting personal information, support peers who are targeted by harassment, and teach them how to seek help from trusted adults. Sharing these skills improves safety for yourself and those you mentor.
Checklist
External Resources
Kids Help Phone: A primary, trusted Canadian resource offering 24/7 confidential support for youth, with specific tools to deal with cyberbullying.
MediaSmarts: Canada's Centre for Digital and Media Literacy, providing the most comprehensive, research-based collection of resources for parents and educators.
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection: A national charity dedicated to the personal safety of all children, with excellent resources on online safety and responding to online sexual exploitation.
PREVNet: A national network of Canadian researchers and organizations working to stop bullying. They provide evidence-based resources on bullying and cyberbullying.