Ontario Provincial Police are reminding parents to supervise their child’s online activity after receiving a complaint of an adult threatening a 10-year-old child online.
On Thursday morning, Norfolk County OPP investigated a threats complaint at a Charlotteville, Norfolk County address.
Police say a 10-year-old accessed a chat app and began speaking to a 30-year-old unknown male.
During the video conversation, the man wore a hacker mask and, according to OPP, threatened the child by running their finger over their throat.
Police say the man then ended the video chat after blowing the child a kiss.
The investigation is ongoing.
OPP Const. Ed Sanchuk said police are encouraging all parents and caregivers to speak to their children about the importance of staying safe online.
To help keep children safe online, police say parents should set rules for internet use, always keep computers in a common area, and know their child’s username and passwords.
Police say parents can also protect their children by making passwords hard to guess, be careful with webcams, and remind kids not to say anything online they would not say in real life.
“The internet is a powerful tool for researching a school project, connecting with friends or entertainment, but there are pitfalls. Be careful what you post or share with others. Safe surfing starts with you,” said Insp. Joseph Varga, detachment commander, Norfolk County OPP.