It’s normal for your child to be curious about sex. They may have many questions and wonder about what they see online.
It’s important to talk with your child about:
- responsible online behaviour and responsible use of computers and digital devices (Remind them that others can often see what they’re looking at.)
- sexting (Remind them you cannot unsend a sext and there is no guarantee photos and videos will stay private.)
- pornography
- how much time they spend looking at online pornography
To be more prepared for these conversations, know what your child does online. Learn more about:
- the language your child uses to describe sexual online activity and online pornography
- social media applications (apps) they use, such as TikTok, Snapchat, X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Tinder, and Instagram
- the websites your child visits
- how to check the history of websites they visit
Online pornography becomes a problem when it harms your child’s mental or physical health, or has unwanted effects on their life.
Let your child know that publicly sharing naked pictures or videos of anyone under the age of 18 is illegal and considered child pornography.
Parental controls and privacy settings
To help you manage and protect your child online, use:
- parental controls
- and privacy settings
Parental controls can help you:
- set time limits for how much your child uses a device
- learn more about your child’s calls, texts, location, and social media activity
- filter certain types of web content to protect your child from things you don’t want them to see online
Privacy settings can help you:
- lower your risk of spam, scams, fraud, and cyberattacks that try to steal your personal information
- control who sees your child’s personal information
- make online security better for everyone at home
You may find these resources helpful:
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Your child might say:
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You might say:
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“It was an accident. I didn’t go looking for porn.”
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“Let’s go over safe online behaviour.” |
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“I’m just curious.”
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“It is normal to be curious about sex but there are more reliable sources of information. We can get you information about sex from sources you can trust.” |
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“What’s the big deal…all of my friends are doing it.”
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“Online pornography often sends messages about sexuality that are unrealistic and potentially harmful. When you don’t have much experience with sex, it’s important to have a realistic way of thinking about intimate
relationships and sex.”
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“I’d prefer to learn about sex online instead of talking to an adult.”
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“Online pornography doesn’t show real, intimate relationships and sex. If you aren’t comfortable talking with me or another adult about sex, let’s find other reliable ways to learn about sex.”
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“I’ll miss out on everything my friends are doing and I want to fit in.”
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“I know it’s important to fit in, but this isn’t the only way to connect with your friends. Let’s talk about other ways you can connect with your friends and what you can say the next time this topic comes up.”
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“I don’t want my friends to think I’m not cool or that I don’t like them.”
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“It’s important not to feel pressure to sext. Once you send a photo to someone, they could share it with others. Remember that publicly sharing naked pictures of anyone under the age of 18 is illegal and considered child
pornography.”
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For help and support, contact the Recovery Alberta Addiction Helpline at
1-866-332-2322 (toll free in Alberta). Recovery Alberta also has a list of
mental health and addiction helplines for immediate help or support, as well as to access services in Alberta.
See the Resources section for more information.
