Today is Safer Internet Day around the world. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has released some tips to help you enjoy the internet safely.

Safer Internet Day is a day to highlight positive uses of technology. There are things you can do to create a better internet for everyone and stay safe while browsing.

Tips for youth:

  • Be the change: Play your part in making the internet a better place. Be positive, show respect, and help people if they are upset.
  • Be sensible: Always tell a trusted adult if you are every worried or upset by something that happens online.
  • Be careful: Keep your personal information safe and check with an adult before you share anything online. This includes your email address, phone number and password.
  • Be aware: Make sure you know the rules about how to behave and stay safe on the sites, games and apps you use. Look out for buttons that let you block, mute and report other users who aren't behaving.
  • Be a detective: Think carefully by checking at least three different websites for your information and talking to someone about what you have seen to see if they agree. Not everything online can be trusted.

Tips for parents:

  • Be engaged: Talk regularly with your children about how they use technology, and find out what their digital life is like, including how they communicate.
  • Be aware: Explore the online features of the devices you already own in your family and the devices you might buy for your child in the future. Knowing how to activate and use parental controls can help protect your child.
  • Be there: The most important thing is to ensure that you are there is something goes wrong. Your child might be very embarrassed to discuss the issue they are facing to reassure them that they can turn to you no matter what.
  • Be thoughtful: The internet provides a platform for billions of people to share their views and opinions but not everything or everyone online is trustworthy. Encourage your children to think critically about the things they see online including the images and videos they view on social media. Discussing what they have seen and the message behind a photo or a video can help them consider the difference between fact and opinion, and that there is sometimes more than meets the eye.

To report dangerous situations or children at risk; Cyber Tip Canada can be used to remain anonymous or call your local police or RCMP Detachment. Follow the movement on social media, #SID2017.