Snapchat is introducing a new online safety course in Canada, giving teenagers and parents practical tools to recognize and respond to some of social media’s biggest risks.
The company announced the program, called The Keys: A Guide to Digital Safety, a free, 45-minute interactive course that arrives after Canada’s 21st annual Media Literacy Week. The Keys is developed alongside Common Sense Media, with input from Canadian organizations MediaSmarts and Jack.org.
The course is now available in English and French. Rather than simply explaining online dangers, The Keys draws on driver’s education. It combines instructional videos with realistic scenarios that encourage teens to practise responding to difficult situations. As Snapchat explains, topics include cyberbullying, harassment, illicit drug activity, intimate images and sexual extortion.
The course itself has two core sections. The first examines risks across different online platforms, while the second introduces Snapchat’s safety settings, reporting tools and parental controls. Participants are encouraged to complete the program in one sitting or return later. Snapchat recommends taking the course alongside a parent, teacher or trusted adult.
The initiative builds on Snapchat’s existing Family Center parental controls, which allow parents to see who their teenagers communicate with without revealing private conversations. Snapchat says the program responds to growing concerns about online safety among Canadian families.
“We developed The Keys because we saw an opportunity in teen-focused digital safety education,” Jacqueline Beauchere, Snap’s Global Head of Platform Safety, said. “This program goes beyond spreading awareness—it helps build practical skills by tackling some of the most challenging situations teenagers could potentially face online. We hope The Keys will help provide teens with the critical thinking skills and confidence they need to safely navigate digital spaces.”
According to MediaSmarts research cited by the company, approximately 32% of Canadians aged nine to 17 have experienced cyberbullying. Online sexual extortion has also become an increasing focus for technology companies, with Meta previously introducing its own teen safety campaign.
The launch comes as Canadian policymakers continue examining stronger online protections for children.
The course is available now through Snapchat’s Canadian website, with no payment required.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
