Expert encourages Calgary parents to keep tabs on their preteens use of social media

Online safety and social media educator Paul Davis addresses the crowd at Woodcliff United Church on Jan. 19, 2020

Calgary — Hundreds of parents and students gathered at a church in southwest Calgary Sunday night for a discussion on safe online and social media practices.

Paul Davis, who is considered an expert in the field, focused his message for families with children between the ages of nine and 12.

Davis encouraged children to put down their electronic devices at dinner time and to keep phones and tablets out of their bedrooms.

"Kids have a gift, it's called curiosity, but curiosity in their bedroom by themselves is a recipe for danger," said Davis. "If we can go home and respect the rules for technology — meaning wait until you're the right age, keep the technology out of the bedroom — the ability for a child to get hurt, cyberbullied or witness any inappropriate content dust dropped like a rock."

Davis says if parents are willing to allow their children to have phones, they should also be checking them on a regular basis. He says it not's an invasion of privacy but a protection against potential threats that children may not be able to recognize.