Norfolk County OPP’s major crime unit is investigating and officers are reminding the public about online safety after a nine-year-old child was asked to send inappropriate photographs to a stranger on an app.
According to police, OPP were contacted just after 3 p.m. Friday after a concerned parent learned that their child had been asked to send photos while using an app on a tablet.
No further details about the case, including which town the child resides in or what app they were using, were released.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS).
In the meantime, police are using the opportunity to remind parents and guardians to follow online safety practices.
OPP suggest parents and guardians:
- set rules about household internet use
- keep computers in high-traffic areas
- know the children’s username, passwords and contacts
- protect passwords and make them hard to guess
Police also remind the public to be careful with webcams and remember that anything posted online is permanent, and say you shouldn’t say anything online you wouldn’t say in real life.
“The internet is a powerful tool for researching a school project, connecting with friends or entertainment, but there are pitfalls,” said detachment commander Insp. Joseph Varga.
“Be careful what you post or share with others, safe surfing starts with you.”
Police also say additional resources can be found on the OPP’s website, through Cypertip.ca, which is operated by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, or at Kids Help Phone.
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