Inspiration for this week’s column came after the Source posted a story online about a 29-year-old P.E.I. man’s arrest after an alleged sexual assault investigation involving children.
Read more: RCMP arrest one for child luring
I’m not a parent, but my first thought when reading the RCMP press release was, gross. The other gross part of the investigation was the fact the man was luring his victims over Snapchat.
I don’t think I have to explain what Snapchat is, but I will say the content shared between users can be a lot less tame than some may think.
The man in question, originally from P.E.I., was living in Ontario while sexually exploiting a minor in Lloydminster and was arrested in Nova Scotia. That’s a heck of a trek, but it also made me think.
As social media users, do we know who’s on the other end of the conversation? As a parent, do you actually know who your kids are talking to online?
This got me thinking about when Chels and I first got together four years ago. She was taking care of her nieces full time and the oldest was barely a teenager. The rule was, the phone gets turned in at the end of the night and auntie is allowed to go through it to ensure conversations are safe. Simple.
Of course, turning in the phone sometimes led to arguments, but it was for safety and I know deep down her niece knew it was the right thing to do.
I didn’t download Snapchat until I was 30, which initially scared me a little. Now, it’s primarily used to keep daily streaks with the people closest to me.
The internet can be a scary place, and with access readily available from the mini-computer the majority of the population has within reach, it’s everywhere.
The world is full of gross people – an uncontrollable. What is controllable is putting in the work to ensure today’s youth are safe online.
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