Central Okanagan Public Schools, along with the Kelowna RCMP, are encouraging parents to take note of what their children may be viewing online or what they’re using their smartphones for.
According to a letter sent home to parents from the deputy superintendent of schools Terry-Lee Beaudry, local schools have received concerned calls regarding the MOMO Challenge.
The “Momo Challenge” is a hoax and urban legend about a nonexistent social media challenge that was spread on Facebook and other media outlets. It was reported that children and adolescents were being enticed by a user named Momo to perform a series of dangerous tasks, including violent attacks and self harm.
“The Kelowna RCMP continues to promote internet safety (and) encourages all parents to teach their children when to block, delete, or report, disturbing images or videos that they may encounter online,” said Const. Lesley Smith in the release.
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Helpful tips for parents when it comes to internet safety.
- Get to know what your child does online and teach them to be safe – they need to know how to deal with inappropriate material and how to protect themselves from predators.
- Keep the computer in a common area or have them use personal devices in your company.
- Warn your child not to give personal information to a stranger online.
- Contact local law enforcement if you believe your child is being blackmailed or extorted online.
- Tell your child to ignore messages from people they don’t recognize and not to visit someone in person that they met online or via text.
Central Okanagan Public Schools emphasize internet safety, digital citizenship, and cyber-bullying awareness throughout the K- 12 curriculum.
More information can be found at bcrcmp.com and at the B.C. website.
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