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Parents Online Safety Portal

A calm, plain-English guide for parents and caregivers in Atlantic Canada: who to call, how to set up the apps your kids use, and how to talk so they'll tell you when something goes wrong.

A parent and child smiling together while looking at a tablet at the kitchen table

If something is happening right now

Section 2

Who to use when

Canada has excellent free help — the trick is knowing which door to knock on. Start here:

  1. Immediate danger→ 911
  2. Something sexual/exploitative involving a child→ Cybertip.ca + local police
  3. An image is spreading→ NeedHelpNow.ca
  4. Your child needs to talk→ Kids Help Phone
  5. You want to prevent the next problem→ ProtectKidsOnline.ca + MediaSmarts

The Canadian directory

Cybertip.ca

Canadian Centre for Child Protection

Canada's national tipline for online child sexual abuse and exploitation: abuse material, luring, non-consensual intimate images, trafficking. Phone: 1-866-658-9022.

Use it when: Report even if you're unsure — trained analysts triage every report.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

NeedHelpNow.ca

Canadian Centre for Child Protection

Help for youth 18 and under (and parents) to stop the spread of a sexual picture or video: removal steps, what to say, support.

Use it when: An image or video is out there, or someone is threatening to share one.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

ProtectKidsOnline.ca

Canadian Centre for Child Protection

Parent and caregiver site: trends, risks, strategies and age-appropriate talking points.

Use it when: Prevention and everyday questions.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

MediaSmarts

Canada's centre for digital and media literacy

Parent guides by age, tip sheets, an e-parenting tutorial and a downloadable family contract for new devices. Their research found kids with home tech rules are less likely to post contact info, visit gambling or porn sites, or talk to strangers online — and older kids follow rules more when they helped make them.

Use it when: You want guides, tip sheets or a family contract to start from.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

Public Safety Canada — discussion guide for parents and caregivers

Scripts by topic (online safety, sexual images, grooming, capping, sextortion, cyberbullying), a family-plan template, a glossary and signs a child may be targeted. Only 1 in 4 cyberbullied youth told their parents (Cyberbullying Public Awareness Research 2022).

Use it when: You want help with the words for a hard conversation.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

RCMP

Youth internet-safety resources and parent tips; local detachments and Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) units. If victimised: stop talking, don't delete chats, screenshot the username, phone number, date, time and full conversation, and tell a trusted adult or police.

Use it when: A crime may have happened, or you want police safety resources.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

Kids Help Phone

Free, confidential, 24/7 support. Call 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868. Not a reporting tipline — pair it with Cybertip.ca or police for exploitation.

Use it when: Your child needs someone to talk to.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

Get Cyber Safe

Government of Canada

Family cyber hygiene: strong unique passphrases (12+ characters), a password manager, no personal info online, phishing checks, updates, changing the router's default password, and a guest network for smart devices and visitors.

Use it when: You want to tighten up the whole family's accounts and home network.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

211 Nova Scotia

Community and social-service referral.

Use it when: You need to find local support services in Nova Scotia.

Visit official site (opens in a new tab)

Signs a child may be targeted

Source: Public Safety Canada

  • Talks about a new friend you haven't heard of
  • Spends much more time online
  • Has new gifts, devices, games or apps you didn't buy
  • Is more secretive than usual
  • Uses new sexual language
  • Seems more fragile, moody or troubled
  • Isolates in the bedroom or bathroom
  • Has stomach aches, headaches or trouble sleeping

None of these alone proves exploitation. They are prompts to talk, not to accuse.

Section 3

Set it up tonight

Tap-by-tap settings for the apps and devices kids use most. Menus change often, so each card links to the platform's own help page.

First steps for every app and device

  1. 1

    Use your child's real birthdate

    Almost every protection is age-gated. A false birthdate silently removes it.

  2. 2

    Set a PIN or passcode your child doesn't know

    Make it different from the code that unlocks the device.

  3. 3

    Turn on Ask to Buy / approvals

    Require approval for new apps and purchases.

  4. 4

    Do the setup together

    Explain what you can and cannot see. Kids trust controls they understand.

Roblox

Step by step

  1. Open Settings → Parental Controls → Add parent.
  2. Verify your parent account.
  3. Check that your child's birthdate is correct.
  4. Voice and chat → No one (under 13) or Friends only (13+).
  5. Friend requests → Friends of Friends or No one.
  6. Content maturity → the lowest suitable level.
  7. Set a monthly Robux spending limit (the default is No limit).
  8. Turn on weekly activity reports.

Safest starting point: Chat off (under 13), lowest content maturity, a monthly spending limit.

What this does NOT do

  • Chat filters miss coded language and in-game signs or drawings.
  • It can't follow contact that moves to Discord or another app.
Roblox parent help (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Discord13+

Step by step

  1. User Settings → Family Center → enable it; your teen scans the QR code.
  2. Turn off direct messages from server members.
  3. Limit who can send friend requests.
  4. Sensitive media filtering → Blur or Block.

Safest starting point: Family Center connected, server DMs off, sensitive media blocked.

What this does NOT do

  • Family Center shows who they messaged or called — never the message or voice content.
  • Either side can disconnect it.
  • Voice chat leaves no log.
Discord Family Center help (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Snapchat13+

Step by step

  1. Profile → Settings → Family Center → send an invite; your teen must accept.
  2. Review their friends and the last 7 days of contacts.
  3. Restrict sensitive content and My AI.
  4. Snap Map → Ghost Mode on.
  5. Keep the account private.

Safest starting point: Family Center on, Ghost Mode on, private account, sensitive content restricted.

What this does NOT do

  • Parents cannot read Snaps or chats.
  • Disappearing messages can still be captured with screenshots or screen recordings.
Snapchat parents' site (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

TikTok13+

Step by step

  1. Profile → Menu → Settings and privacy → Family Pairing; parent and teen scan the QR code.
  2. Set daily screen time and Time Away.
  3. Choose whether search is on or off.
  4. Private account ON.
  5. Comments, duets and stitches → Friends or No one.
  6. Downloads OFF.
  7. Restricted Mode ON, with a passcode.
  8. Add keyword filters.

Safest starting point: Family Pairing on, private account, downloads off, Restricted Mode on.

What this does NOT do

  • It does not show private message content.
  • A wrong birthdate bypasses the teen defaults.
TikTok Family Pairing help (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Instagram13+

Step by step

  1. Make the account private.
  2. Profile → Menu → Family Center → Supervision; your teen accepts.
  3. Set time limits and blocked hours.
  4. See who they follow and block.
  5. Approve requests to loosen protections (under-16s need a parent).
  6. Location sharing → No one.

Safest starting point: Private account, supervision on, location sharing off.

What this does NOT do

  • Supervision does not show DM content.
  • A teen can end supervision (the parent is notified).
Instagram parent help (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

YouTube

Step by step

  1. Younger kids: YouTube Kids with a profile set by age, a parent lock, Approved Content Only, Search OFF and a daily timer.
  2. Older kids: supervised YouTube through Family Link (Explore for 9+, Explore More for 13+).
  3. Teens: turn Restricted Mode ON on each device.

Safest starting point: YouTube Kids with Approved Content Only for younger children.

What this does NOT do

  • Restricted Mode is filtering, not approval.
  • Kids can open YouTube in a web browser instead of the app.
YouTube Kids help (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Fortnite

Step by step

  1. Under-13 accounts are Cabined: voice/text chat and purchases stay off until a parent approves.
  2. Set a 6-digit parental PIN.
  3. Voice and text chat → Nobody or Friends Only.
  4. Filter Mature Language ON.
  5. Require PIN to Add Friends ON.

Safest starting point: 6-digit PIN, chat Nobody or Friends Only, PIN required to add friends.

What this does NOT do

  • The filter does not cover voice, coded language or grooming phrases.
  • Parents cannot listen to voice reports.
  • The Epic PIN does not cover console storefront purchases or console friend lists.
Epic Games parental controls (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Minecraft

Step by step

  1. There's no single in-game menu — controls live in the Microsoft/Xbox family account (account.microsoft.com/family).
  2. Set multiplayer, clubs and friends permissions there.
  3. Communication → Friends or Block.
  4. Safest ladder: single-player → a private Realm you control → vetted public servers last.

Safest starting point: Single-player or a private Realm you control.

What this does NOT do

  • Public servers and mods vary wildly in moderation.
Minecraft Help Centre (opens in a new tab)Xbox Family Hub (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Family (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Messaging (iMessage / WhatsApp)

Step by step

  1. iMessage: Filter Unknown Senders ON.
  2. iMessage: set Communication Limits and turn on Communication Safety.
  3. WhatsApp: profile photo and Last Seen → Contacts Only.
  4. WhatsApp: Groups → My Contacts.

Safest starting point: Family rules for all messaging: no messaging after an agreed time; show a parent any stranger contact instead of replying; never share personal info or location; no secret second account.

What this does NOT do

  • Messages stay end-to-end encrypted — parents cannot read them.
Apple Screen Time & Communication help (opens in a new tab)WhatsApp Help Centre (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Apple Screen Time

Step by step

  1. Settings → Family → choose your child → Screen Time.
  2. Set a Screen Time passcode your child doesn't know.
  3. Turn on Downtime.
  4. Add App Limits with Block at End of Limit.
  5. Set Content & Privacy Restrictions.
  6. Turn on Ask to Buy.
Apple Support (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Google Family Link

Step by step

  1. Install Family Link on the parent's and the child's device.
  2. Set screen-time limits and bedtime.
  3. Turn on app approvals and Play maturity filters.
  4. Turn on SafeSearch and Chrome filtering.

Note: System apps can't be limited, and the daily limit is per device.

Google Family Link (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Home router / DNS filtering

Step by step

  1. Change the router admin password from the default.
  2. Set per-child profiles and schedules where your router offers them.
  3. Set family DNS on the router: Cloudflare for Families 1.1.1.3 / 1.0.0.3, OpenDNS FamilyShield 208.67.222.123 / 208.67.220.123, or CleanBrowsing Family 185.228.168.168 / 185.228.169.168.
  4. Reboot the router.
  5. Test from a child's device.

What this does NOT do

  • DNS blocks by domain name only — nothing inside YouTube, TikTok, Instagram or games.
  • Nothing on mobile data.
  • Bypassed by VPNs, changed device DNS, or a friend's phone.
Cloudflare for Families (opens in a new tab)OpenDNS (opens in a new tab)CleanBrowsing (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Xbox

Step by step

  1. Install the free Xbox Family Settings app on your phone and sign in with your own Microsoft account.
  2. Add your child to your Microsoft family group with their real birthdate.
  3. Content restrictions → choose an age level for games, apps and the web.
  4. Screen time → set daily limits or a schedule.
  5. Spending → turn on Ask a parent and remove saved cards.
  6. Online safety → limit multiplayer, chat and who can communicate to Friends or No one; approve new friends.

Safest starting point: An age-based content level, chat limited to approved friends, and purchases that need your approval.

What this does NOT do

  • Party and voice chat aren't recorded for you to review.
  • Contact can still move to Discord or another app.
Xbox Family Hub (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

PlayStation

Step by step

  1. Create a child account under your own account (the family manager) — not a separate adult account.
  2. On the console: Settings → Family and Parental Controls → Family Management → choose your child.
  3. Set the age level for games, video and the web browser.
  4. Restrict communication and content created by other players.
  5. Set a monthly spending limit (it can be $0).
  6. Set playtime limits and the time zone for them.

Safest starting point: Communication restricted, a $0 spending limit, and playtime limits that match your house rules.

What this does NOT do

  • Settings only apply to the child account — a sibling's or adult's account is unrestricted.
  • Voice chat isn't recorded for parents.
PlayStation parental controls (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Nintendo Switch

Step by step

  1. Install the free Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app and link it to the console with the code it shows.
  2. Choose a restriction level (Child, Pre-Teen or Teen) or set your own.
  3. Restrict communicating with others and posting to social media.
  4. Set a daily play-time limit and choose whether to suspend the game when time is up.
  5. In your Nintendo Account, set the child as a supervised account and restrict eShop spending.

Safest starting point: Communication restricted, a daily play-time limit, and eShop purchases that need you.

What this does NOT do

  • Settings are per console, so a friend's Switch isn't covered.
  • It doesn't see chat that happens in other apps.
Nintendo parental controls (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

AI chatbots (ChatGPT and others)Check each app

Step by step

  1. Ask which AI apps your child uses — chatbots are also built into Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp and many games.
  2. Read the app's own age rules. Many AI "companion" or role-play apps are for adults only.
  3. ChatGPT: parents can link their account to a teen's account and turn on extra protections and quiet hours — see OpenAI's parental controls page.
  4. Agree a family rule: no full names, school, address, photos or passwords in a chatbot.
  5. Try it together and talk about what it gets wrong.

Safest starting point: Use AI together for homework and curiosity; skip AI companion and role-play apps for kids and younger teens.

What this does NOT do

  • Chatbots can sound caring and sure of themselves while being wrong.
  • They are not a counsellor — a child who is struggling needs a real person (Kids Help Phone, a parent, a doctor).
OpenAI parental controls (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

Bark vs Qustodio (paid apps)

Step by step

  1. Bark: alert-only. Flags bullying, grooming, self-harm and sexual content across texts and 30+ apps. Parents do not get a full mirror of messages. Better for teens and trust.
  2. Qustodio: restriction and visibility — web filtering, history, app blocking, time limits, location. Better for younger children.
  3. Neither fully monitors end-to-end encrypted in-app messaging, and both miss messages deleted before scanning.
  4. Check current pricing on each company's own site.

Safest starting point: If your child's main contact is WhatsApp, Snapchat or Discord DMs, no paid app gives you complete coverage — budget for conversation, not just software.

Bark (opens in a new tab)Qustodio (opens in a new tab)

Last checked: October 2026

The honest limits of parental controls

  • Encrypted messages cannot be read by parental tools.
  • Voice chat leaves no transcript.
  • False birthdates, second accounts, a friend's device, mobile data, VPNs, factory resets and in-app browsers defeat single-layer controls.
  • Filters miss coded language and grooming that sounds friendly.

Controls are guardrails, not a guarantee. Conversation is the layer that works everywhere.

Section 4

By age

What changes as kids grow: the risks, the settings, the conversation, and how much independence makes sense.

Ages 5–9

Main risks

  • Accidental exposure to things they shouldn't see
  • Clicking anything
  • Sharing their name, school or other details
  • Trusting friendly usernames
  • In-app purchases

Settings

  • Shared family devices
  • YouTube Kids with Approved Content Only
  • Roblox set to All Ages with chat off
  • Minecraft single-player or a parent-run Realm
  • No social media
  • Screen Time / Family Link on strict, with Ask to Buy
  • Router DNS filtering on

The conversation

  • “Ask before you click, download or talk to someone new.”
  • “If anything feels weird, close it and tell me — you won't be in trouble.”

Independence: Devices stay in shared spaces, and a parent is close by.

Ages 10–12

Main risks

  • Lying about their age to get on 13+ apps
  • Not realising that deleted doesn't mean gone
  • “Free Robux / V-Bucks” scams
  • First contact from strangers
  • Group-chat pressure

Settings

  • A parent-managed device; parents hold the passwords
  • Roblox 9+ only when they're ready
  • Fortnite set to Friends Only
  • Supervised YouTube (Explore)
  • No Discord, Snapchat, TikTok or Instagram before 13 — and wait longer if they're not ready
  • Start the family agreement

The conversation

  • Play “What would you do if…?” with real scenarios.
  • Teach that a request to move to a private app is itself a red flag.

Independence: More freedom inside the controls, with regular check-ins together.

Ages 13–15

Main risks

  • Cyberbullying
  • Pressure to share images
  • Sextortion and capping (secretly recorded video chats)
  • Stranger contact moving from a game to Discord or Snapchat
  • Algorithmic feeds

Settings

  • Teen Accounts / supervision ON everywhere
  • Private accounts
  • DMs friends-only
  • Snap Map Ghost Mode
  • Location sharing off
  • Two-factor authentication on

The conversation

  • Name grooming stages and sextortion directly: “If anyone threatens you, it's a crime, it's not your fault, don't pay, tell me.”
  • Agree on the “show me, don't answer” rule for stranger messages.

Independence: Supervision stays on, but you explain it and review it together.

Ages 16–17

Main risks

  • Financial sextortion
  • Deepfake / AI-made intimate images
  • Coercive relationships
  • Extremist groups grooming through games and social media
  • Scams and account theft

Settings

  • Your teen holds primary responsibility
  • A privacy audit with a parent every few months
  • Supervision loosened only by agreement
  • Password manager plus an authenticator app

The conversation

  • Consent law in plain terms: sharing an intimate image without consent is illegal in Canada, and images of anyone under 18 carry extra illegality.
  • AI fakes count too.
  • How to support a friend without forwarding an image.

Independence: They run their own accounts; you stay the person they can come to.

Section 5

Getting a first phone

Readiness matters more than a birthday. Use this to decide when, what kind, and how to set it up so it starts on the right foot.

Signs they may be ready

  • They already follow your rules on shared devices and tablets.
  • They tell you when something online goes wrong.
  • They understand that a photo or message can't be taken back once it's sent.
  • There's a real reason — getting to and from school, activities, staying in touch.
  • They can look after an expensive device and agree to hand it over at night.

Start small, then step up

  1. 1

    Basic phone or kids' smartwatch

    Calls, texts and location for staying in touch — no app store or social media.

  2. 2

    Smartphone, locked down

    A child account with app approvals, limits and no social media yet. Loosen it step by step.

  3. 3

    Smartphone, more freedom

    For older teens who've shown good judgement — with regular check-ins, not secret monitoring.

Section 6

Screen time, sleep and wellbeing

Safety isn't only about strangers. Healthy habits protect sleep, mood and family time — and they're easier to build than to fix.

Bedrooms are for sleep

Phones, tablets and consoles charge in a shared spot overnight. This one habit protects sleep and cuts late-night contact.

Screen-free times

Meals, the hour before bed and car rides are easy places to start.

What, not just how long

A video call with Grandma or building something creative isn't the same as endless scrolling. Talk about the difference.

Watch and play together

Sit in on a game or a favourite creator now and then. You'll learn what they love and who they're talking to.

Model it

Kids copy what we do. Put your own phone away at the table and say out loud when you're taking a break.

Turn off the pull

Switch off non-essential notifications, autoplay and streak reminders. Less buzzing means less pressure.

When to check in more closely

One of these on its own is normal growing up. Several together, or lasting for weeks, are worth a gentle conversation — and maybe a call to your family doctor.

  • Losing sleep or being exhausted in the morning
  • Pulling away from friends, family or activities they used to enjoy
  • Big mood changes after being online, or anger when the device is off
  • Hiding the screen or switching apps when you walk in
  • Talking about themselves in a very negative way, or about body image and dieting
  • Grades or school attendance dropping

If your child talks about hurting themselves, don't wait — get help today.

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868988 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988Caring for Kids (Canadian Paediatric Society) (opens in a new tab)

Section 7

How grooming and sextortion actually unfold

Knowing the pattern helps you spot it early. It usually looks friendly at first.

  1. 1

    Friendship first

    Contact in a game, social app or livestream. Friendly, with shared interests.

  2. 2

    Trust-building

    Compliments, attentive listening, gifts — game currency, skins, gift cards, even devices.

  3. 3

    Isolation and secrecy

    “Don't tell your parents.” A move to a private or disappearing-message app, often late at night.

  4. 4

    Normalising sexual talk

    Introduced gradually, so it doesn't feel like a big step.

  5. 5

    The ask

    A request for sexual content, a secretly recorded video chat (“capping”), or a meeting in person.

  6. 6

    Control

    Guilt, threats or blackmail (sextortion) to keep the child silent.

This can happen fast — sometimes within hours. If you see the pattern, act fast.

Section 8

Cyberbullying

Online bullying follows kids home. Here's what to do whether your child is the one being hurt — or the one doing the hurting.

If your child is being bullied

  1. 1

    Listen and reassure

    Thank them for telling you. Make it clear it's not their fault and they won't lose their device for telling.

  2. 2

    Don't reply or retaliate

    Responding usually makes it worse — and can get your child in trouble too.

  3. 3

    Save the evidence

    Screenshot messages, usernames, dates and times before anything is deleted or blocked.

  4. 4

    Block and report

    Use the app's own report tools, then block the account.

  5. 5

    Tell the school

    If classmates are involved, contact the teacher or principal with your screenshots.

  6. 6

    Get more help when needed

    Threats, intimate images or hate: contact police. In Nova Scotia, NS CyberScan can help. Kids Help Phone is there for your child.

If your child is the one bullying

  • Stay calm and get the full story — ask what happened and why.
  • Help them see it from the other child's side.
  • Focus on repair: deleting posts, a sincere apology, making it right.
  • Set a clear, fair consequence that fits what happened.
  • Look for what's underneath — kids who bully online are sometimes being bullied themselves.
MediaSmarts on cyberbullying (opens in a new tab)Kids Help Phone (opens in a new tab)

Section 9

Scams, privacy and AI

The everyday stuff: protecting accounts, money, location and reputation — plus the new risks that come with AI.

Gaming and money scams

"Free Robux", "free V-Bucks", cheap skins, account trades and fake giveaways are the most common traps for kids.

  • Nobody legitimate ever needs your password or a login code.
  • Real in-game currency only comes from the game's own store.
  • If it's free and urgent, it's a scam.

Passwords and logins

A hacked account can be used to scam friends or post as your child.

  • A different, long password for each account — a password manager helps.
  • Turn on two-factor authentication or passkeys for email, games and social apps.
  • Parents keep the recovery email and phone for younger kids' accounts.
Try our free password generator

Location sharing

Snap Map, Find My, Life360 and many games can show where your child is.

  • Decide together who can see their location — family only is a good start.
  • Snapchat: Ghost Mode on. Turn off location for apps that don't need it.
  • Never post the school, team or home street in photos or profiles.

Digital footprint

Posts, comments and photos can be screenshotted and resurface years later.

  • The "Grandma test": would you be okay with Grandma, a teacher or a future boss seeing it?
  • Disappearing messages don't really disappear — screenshots and screen recordings exist.
  • Search your child's name together once in a while.

Fake images and "nudify" apps

AI can make fake sexual images from an ordinary photo. Kids sometimes do this to classmates as a "joke".

  • A sexual image of anyone under 18 — even a fake or AI-made one — is treated as child sexual abuse material in Canada.
  • If it happens to your child: don't share it further, save the details, and report to Cybertip.ca.
  • NeedHelpNow.ca has steps for getting images taken down.

Sharing photos of your kids

A note for parents: what we post about our children becomes part of their footprint too.

  • Keep family photos to a private audience you know.
  • Avoid school uniforms, name tags, house numbers and live locations.
  • Ask older kids before you post about them.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (opens in a new tab)Get Cyber Safe (opens in a new tab)

Section 10

Talk so they tell you

Controls are guardrails, not a guarantee. Regular, non-judgemental conversation is what makes a child tell a parent — and taking a device away as punishment is what stops them telling next time.

Conversation starters

A new app

  • “Show me how it works — what do you like about it?”
  • “Let's set it up together so the safety settings match your age.”

A stranger message

  • “If someone you don't know messages you, show me instead of answering. You're not in trouble.”
  • “If they ask you to move to another app or keep it secret, that's our signal to talk.”

An image request

  • “If anyone asks for a photo that makes you uncomfortable, you can say no and come to me.”
  • “If someone threatens you, it's a crime, it's not your fault, don't pay — tell me and we'll handle it together.”

Something scary seen online

  • “Thanks for telling me. Do you want to talk about what you saw?”
  • “You did the right thing by closing it and coming to me.”

Section 11

If something has happened

Take a breath. Your calm response matters more than anything else right now.

  1. 1

    Stay calm

    • Thank your child for telling you.
    • Do not blame or punish.
  2. 2

    Do not delete anything

    • Preserve evidence — don't delete chats.
    • Screenshot the username, phone number, date, time and the full conversation.
  3. 3

    Stop contact

    • Block the account.
    • Do not reply to threats.
    • Do not pay anyone demanding money or images.
  4. 4

    Report

    • Cybertip.ca for sexual or exploitative content.
    • NeedHelpNow.ca if an image is spreading (removal help).
    • Local police / 911 if there is immediate danger or a crime may have occurred.
    • NS CyberScan for cyberbullying or non-consensual intimate images in Nova Scotia.
  5. 5

    Get support

    • Kids Help Phone: call 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868.
    • Tell the school if it involves classmates.
  6. 6

    Secure accounts

    • Change passwords and turn on two-factor authentication.
    • Review followers, friends and privacy settings together.
Cybertip.ca (opens in a new tab)NeedHelpNow.ca (opens in a new tab)NS CyberScan (opens in a new tab) Kids Help Phone

The honest limits of parental controls

  • Encrypted messages cannot be read by parental tools.
  • Voice chat leaves no transcript.
  • False birthdates, second accounts, a friend's device, mobile data, VPNs, factory resets and in-app browsers defeat single-layer controls.
  • Filters miss coded language and grooming that sounds friendly.

Controls are guardrails, not a guarantee. Conversation is the layer that works everywhere.

Section 12

Words you'll hear

A quick, plain-English decoder for the apps and slang that come up at the dinner table.

DM
Direct message — a private chat inside an app or game.
Finsta / spam account
A second, more private account, often hidden from parents.
Streak
Snapchat's count of days in a row two friends have sent each other Snaps. Kids can feel real pressure to keep them going.
Snap Map / Ghost Mode
Snapchat's live location map. Ghost Mode hides your child's location.
Server
A Discord community. Some are private groups of friends; others have thousands of strangers.
Robux / V-Bucks
In-game money for Roblox and Fortnite, bought with real money.
Skins
Outfits or looks for a game character — a common target for scams.
Loot box
A paid mystery reward in a game. It works a lot like gambling.
VPN
An app that hides internet traffic. It can get around home filters and parental controls.
Vanish mode / disappearing messages
Messages that delete themselves. They can still be screenshotted.
Catfish
Someone pretending to be a different person — often a fake age or photo.
Doxxing
Posting someone's real name, address or school online to target them.
Grooming
When someone builds trust with a child in order to exploit them. It usually starts out friendly.
Sextortion
Threatening to share an intimate image unless the victim pays or sends more.

Section 13

Parent questions

Honest answers to the questions parents ask most.

Should I read my child's messages?

For younger children, regular open check-ins together are reasonable and expected. For teens, secretly reading everything often backfires — if they find out, they stop telling you things. Agree up front what you'll check and when, and save closer looks for real safety concerns.

What's the right age for a first phone?

There isn't one magic age. Readiness matters more: do they follow device rules now, tell you when something goes wrong, and understand that messages can't be taken back? A basic phone or kids' smartwatch is a good first step for many families.

My child is already on an app they're too young for. What now?

Don't panic or punish. Sit down together, look at who they talk to and what they see, and fix the birthdate so age protections switch on. Then decide together whether to keep the account with tighter settings or take a break until they're older.

Is location tracking a good idea?

It can be, when it's open and agreed — many families share locations both ways. Secret tracking tends to damage trust. Explain why you're using it and review it as your child gets older.

What if my child has seen pornography or something disturbing?

Stay calm — it's very common and often accidental. Thank them for telling you, ask what they saw and how it made them feel, and explain in simple terms why it isn't real or healthy. Then tighten filters together. If it involved a child or an adult contacting them, report it to Cybertip.ca.

Should I take the device away as a punishment?

Be careful. If telling you about a problem leads to losing the phone, kids stop telling. Keep consequences for breaking agreed rules separate from your child coming to you for help.

Are paid monitoring apps worth it?

They can help, especially for younger children, but none of them see everything — encrypted chats, voice and a friend's device are blind spots. Compare them against the free built-in controls first, and budget time for conversation, not just software.

Section 14

Atlantic Canada: local help

Provincial and local services, with Nova Scotia specifics.

NS CyberScan

Nova Scotia's help for cyberbullying and non-consensual intimate images. Confirm the current process and phone numbers on the official page.

novascotia.ca/cyberscan (opens in a new tab)

211 Nova Scotia

Community and social-service referral — a starting point for finding local support.

ns.211.ca (opens in a new tab)

211 across Atlantic Canada

211 also serves New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador — a free way to find local family, mental-health and community services.

211.ca (opens in a new tab)

Local police and RCMP

Your local detachment can involve the RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) units. In immediate danger, call 911.

rcmp-grc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)

Separate from the free guide above · Local service offer

Want hands-on help at home?

Fundy Tech can help families in Southwest Nova Scotia set up home Wi-Fi controls, router DNS filtering and device parental controls. This is a local service from Fundy Tech, not part of the free safety advice on this page.

902-334-5872

Fundy Tech Solutions Inc. · Technology. Simplified.