Alberta RCMP are encouraging young people to take extra precautions online as police share information throughout September on cyberbullying, sextortion and ways youth can protect themselves.
Police say young people can be placed in vulnerable situations online, particularly when communicating with people they do not know or when conversations move to private messaging platforms.
RCMP say learning to recognize warning signs and knowing how to respond can help youth protect themselves and others.
Sextortion involves online threats and blackmail
Sextortion is a form of online blackmail where someone threatens to share an intimate image or video unless the victim sends money or provides additional sexual content.
Police say offenders may pretend to be around the same age as their target, use fake or incomplete social media profiles, quickly express strong feelings or pressure someone to move a conversation to a more private platform.
RCMP advise victims to stop communicating with the person, not send money or additional images and save evidence such as screenshots, usernames and profile information.
Police also recommend deactivating, rather than deleting, the affected social media account and avoiding new friend requests that could come from the same person using another profile.
Youth are encouraged to speak with a trusted adult, parent, guardian, Elder or other support person.
Incidents can also be reported to police, the social media platform involved or Cybertip.ca. NeedHelpNow.ca also provides assistance for young people trying to have intimate images removed from the internet.
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Police offer advice for cyberbullying
RCMP define cyberbullying as the use of computers, smartphones or other digital devices to embarrass, threaten, harass, exclude or harm someone online.
Young people who experience cyberbullying are advised not to respond to abusive messages or posts.
Instead, police recommend saving evidence, blocking and reporting the person responsible and speaking with a trusted adult or support person.
The behaviour can also be reported to a school, website or app, while police should be contacted if someone feels threatened or believes a crime has occurred.
Youth encouraged to support one another
Const. Scott Sterling with the ALERT Internet Child Exploitation Unit said young people who experience sextortion or cyberbullying should know support is available.
He also encouraged youth who witness harmful online behaviour to take action by supporting the person affected and helping them connect with a trusted adult or appropriate resources.
RCMP say youth can reduce their risk online by being cautious about who they communicate with, recognizing pressure or manipulation and reporting concerning behaviour early.
