Parent/Caregiver Guide to Online Safety

Parental controls, household technology rules and conversation starters.

Staying up to date with the online world can feel overwhelming. Things change quickly and technology plays a significant role in our daily lives. It can be tough for families to find the right balance between screen time and real-life connection. Kids and teens are learning to build friendships and social skills both online and offline, so it’s important that we support them in learning how to use technology in safe and healthy ways.

But this isn’t just a family issue. Everyone has a role to play in creating a respectful and responsible digital culture, whether you're a parent, educator or member of the community.

Here are some tips and resources when supporting children and youth:

Timing and Oversight

Figuring out the “right” time to introduce technology, online gaming, or social media to kids can be overwhelming. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer—it depends on your child’s maturity and readiness at each stage. Some experts suggest that waiting a bit longer can help kids become more responsible and handle the emotional ups and downs of being online.

How and when to introduce children and youth to devices and phones:

When is the right age to allow my child to have social media and gaming?

Ways to manage screen time:

Conversations with Your Child, Preteen or Teen

Research shows that pairing parental controls with open talks improves kids’ online safety.

Without open conversations, children and youth are left to figure it out on their own. Conversations about safety should start as early as possible, even before they go online. By talking with your child early on, you can provide them with accurate information and discuss healthy online relationships and boundaries.

Resources:

Setting Household Rules and Consequences

Research shows that children with household rules are less likely to engage in risky online behaviour.

Set clear rules for technology use. Encourage youth to rethink who they’re sharing with and what’s appropriate. Consequences for breaking rules should be well-defined, however, it is important to choose the consequence appropriately.

Need help creating the rules? Use these family tech planners for every age:

Parental Controls

Most platforms offer parental controls and settings. Simply go online and search for the app’s “family centre” to review and adjust safety settings.

Internet providers also have controls that can support parents in monitoring their child's online activity. Some controls allow you to limit screen time, control privacy settings and restrict certain content.

Resources:

Youth, Violence and Risky Online Activity

As young people spend more time online, they’re exposed to both the positive and risky sides of digital life—including things like cyberbullying, live-streamed violence, anonymous threats, and clout-chasing behaviour. These online interactions can have serious real-world impacts. That’s why it’s more important than ever for parents and caregivers to stay informed, set clear expectations, and keep the lines of communication open.

The following chart provides a brief overview of youth, violence and risky online activity.

Visit the Social Media and Streaming Apps and Online Gaming and Virtual Communities sections of the Toolkit to learn more about specific platforms.

The Online Safety Toolkit was created through:

Contact

Lethbridge Police Service
135 1 Avenue South
Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 0A1

Non-Emergency Phone: 403-328-4444
General Inquiries Phone: 403-327-2210
Email: General Inquiries
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