The Thursday launch of the ‘textED. ca’ website, by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, is the key component of a new pilot program, in which 100 schools of Canada will, via the new site, make the adolescents aware of the risks associated with ‘sexting’ – that is, sending and receiving of sexually suggestive pictures, videos or sexual messages, on a cell phone.

Saying that teaching the youth about safe texting, and asking them to seek adult advice when necessary, is a rather “neglected” area, Signy Arnason, director of Cybertip. ca, added that the nation-wide texting-related school course – commencing in February - will essentially target this problem, which is becoming a major cause of concern.

Arnason added: “This is a substantial issue. You’ve got 100 million text messages being sent out everyday in Canada. The vast majority of those are kids texting.” Arnason also said that though texting is fun, parents should teach their children about responsible texting.

Noting that the tips received at cybertip. ca reveal that children with mobile phones are involved in acts that “cross over into illegal activity,” Arnason further said that the mobile phone technology is also being used by sexual offenders for establishing contacts with young people.

The texting lessons will largely be for children in grades 7 and 8, and will involve the use of interactive comics and games to put across vital information about safe texting.