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By Nathaniel Leigh
Cybertip.ca

Alberta RCMP offering cyber safety tips for youth

Sep 16, 2026 | 3:46 PM

Alberta RCMP wants to help people better protect themselves and others from harmful online experiences.

The RCMP are offering tips for youth to protect themselves from cyberbullying: the use of digital devices to embarrass, harass, or otherwise harm someone online, and sextortion, a form of blackmail in which someone threatens to share a sexual image or video of the victim.

Mounties say in the digital age it’s important for youth to know how to protect themselves:

If you are a victim of sextortion:

  • Stop all communications with the offender.
  • Do not comply with any threats and do not send money, images, or additional content.
  • Save evidence, including screenshots of messages, usernames, profiles, and any images involved.
  • Deactivate, but do not delete, your social media account.
  • Do not accept new friend requests after disengaging—this could be the offender using a new profile.
  • Reach out to a trusted adult, parent, guardian, elder, or another support person. 
  • Report the incident:
    • Cybertip.ca allows you to report online child sexual exploitation incidents anonymously.
    • Get help removing pictures from the internet at NeedHelpNow.ca.
    • Report the incident to the platform where it occurred.
    • Contact your local police service.

If you are a victim of cyberbullying:

  • Do not respond to bullying messages or posts.
  • Save messages, screenshots, or other evidence.
  • Block and report the individual responsible. 
  • Talk to a trusted adult, parent, guardian, elder, or another support person. 
  • Report the behaviour to your school or the website/app where it occurred.
  • Contact the police if you feel threatened or believe a crime has been committed.

“If you are a victim of sextortion or cyberbullying, remember that you are not at fault, and help is available,” says Cst. Scott Sterling, ALERT Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit. “Youth can support one another by being active bystanders. If you witness cyberbullying or sextortion, speak up, offer support, and help connect victims with trusted adults and available resources.”

by Nathaniel Leigh