Think before you send: Be smart about social media, RCMP say to young people

RCMP officers in Happy Valley-Goose Bay and other detachments across Canada are encouraging young people to be selfie-aware.

The force launched a campaign called Smart Social, which includes handing out stickers to cover smartphone cameras.

"What that does is, makes the youths think twice before they start taking that photograph," said Const. Kelly Pelchat.

"Once a photo's out there, it's nearly impossible to get back."

The Smart Social campaign is geared at teens and young adults — people who've never lived in a world without internet and for whom life exists increasingly online.

It's a reality that comes with its own unique risks: cyberbullying, identity theft, and the near-permanent record of a person's online activities.

"I think a lot of education needs to still be done," Pelchat told CBC's Labrador Morning. "It can be very damaging."

Even in small towns like Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Pelchat said cybercrime is on the rise.

'Definitely seeing more of it'

Local officers are fielding more calls about incidents online, she said, including the sharing of compromising images — a particular risk for people under 18.

"We're definitely seeing more of it," Pelchat said. "If there's intimate images, it may be considered child pornography."

Pelchat said many teens are up against social pressures their parents couldn't fathom.

No more does bullying end when a student leaves school, and never has it been so easy to inadvertently divulge too much personal information so quickly.

"It's definitely a big portion of youths' lives and everyday activities," Pelchat said of social media.

"It's still there, it's still on, right till you go to bed."

While there are laws to protect victims of cybercrime, Pelchat says a little forward-thinking can often prevent an incident before it happens.

"Think twice about what you're posting online or sending via messages," she said.

"Just be aware of the consequences that it may have."