Workshop aimed at protecting kids from Internet

The Fort Frances OPP is partnering with both local school boards to present a free interactive workshop here next Wednesday (April 12) for parents about children and Internet safety.
“The reality is a lot of our kids know more about the computer than we do,” said Fort Frances OPP Cst. Caroline Spencer, who is giving the workshop.
The event will cover topics including warning signs of Internet trouble, how to keep your computer safe, keeping your personal information safe, and “cyber-bullying.”
Over the Christmas holidays, it came to the attention of staff at both the Rainy River District School Board and the Northwest Catholic District School Board that cyber-bullying was occurring within the student body in a number of elementary schools, Cst. Spencer said.
“I was asked to present Internet safety for students to [J.W.] Walker, Robert Moore, and St. Francis, which I did in January and February,” she noted.
“During those presentations, which are interactive, I realized that a lot of our kids have computers in their rooms and can easily “disappear” and not be monitored by their parents when online.”
This new workshop is designed specifically for parents.
“They need to be aware of what [cyber-bullying] is so they can recognize if their child is being bullied . . . or if they’re the bully,” she said.
Children often will behave differently online than they do in real life because they feel protected by the anonymity the Internet provides.
“They feel like they have that power. They feel like they can’t be found out,” Cst. Spencer explained.
The potential danger of the Internet was brought home even further on a recent episode of “Oprah,” where a teenage boy in the U.S. was sexually exploited by more than 1,500 men over the Internet.
“The reality is it can happen here. What are we going to do about it?” Cst. Spencer stressed.
“The Internet is a great tool, but there are a lot of adults out there that use it for bad and not good,” she warned.
“The Internet: What Parents Need to Know to Keep their Children Safe” will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Townshend Theatre.
The event is free of charge, and refreshments will be provided by the School Violence Prevention Team.
“We really want people to come and ask questions,” Cst. Spencer noted. “I will answer any and all questions I can. If I don’t have the answer, I will get one from our E-crimes section.”