Ontario child coerced on social media into making sexually explicit content: police
South Simcoe Police are warning the public about a popular social media app after a young child was coerced into filming and sending sexually explicit content to a stranger.
Earlier this month, police received a complaint from a concerned parent about their child using a social media application known as Likee.
Likee is a free, short-form video creation and sharing app that allows users to livestream.
The app has around 100 million users worldwide and is available for iOS and Android devices.
South Simcoe Police say they learned that a young girl had communicated with an unknown individual through the Likee application.
Police say an unknown individual convinced the young person to record themselves engaging in sexual activity and send the videos to them.
Once the individual received several videos, police say they demanded more, threatening to send videos of the young person’s sexual activity to family, friends, and their school if they didn’t comply.
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Police warn that Likee is based out of Singapore, and the organization and parent company will not comply with or take action on Canadian court orders, which drastically reduces the likelihood of perpetrators being caught.
Unlike other social media apps, police warn that Likee does not allow a user to mark their account as private, so anyone can view content posted by a user at any time. Having a profile is not required to access and browse content on the app.
Police warn that people also do not need to enter their date of birth before browsing content.
The South Simcoe Police Service are using the experience as an opportunity to warn parents and children about the potential risks associated with social media applications that do not offer adequate privacy settings or data protection.
Here is what police say people can do:
- If families share a family plan for cellphone services, a parent can set up a notification system that will alert
them if their child is trying to download an application. Once the notification is received, only a parent can
review and approve the request. - Access to home-based Wi-Fi can be limited to certain times of the day by the users. For example, Wi-Fi can
be disabled during the overnight hours to ensure that children are not online at a time when adult supervision would not be available. - Ensure that a child meets the suggested age requirements for social media applications.
- Parents should retain the passwords for social media accounts used by their children and, if necessary, check the nature of the content that is being posted or viewed by their children.
- Have frank and open discussions with children about online safety and the importance of not communicating with unknown individuals.
- If there are issues that should be reported to the police, ensure that they are reported promptly to avoid
evidence being lost.
Additional information and tips for online safety can be found at cybertip.ca.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Spirits maker Diageo will cease operations at its bottling facility in Amherstburg, Ont., early next year, as it shifts some bottling volume to the U.S., the company announced on Thursday.
The facility, which bottles Crown Royal products, will close in February in a move aimed at improving its North American supply chain.
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About 200 jobs will be affected.
“This was a difficult decision, but one that is crucial to improving the efficiency and resiliency of our supply chain network,” Marsha McIntosh, Diageo’s president of North America supply, said in a statement.
Diageo said it will engage with the community and find ways to support its employees through the transition, and work alongside Unifor to assist unionized workers.
The company said it will still maintain a “significant” footprint in Canada — including its headquarters and warehouse operations in the Greater Toronto Area, and bottling and distillation facilities in Manitoba and Quebec.
McIntosh added the company’s Crown Royal products will continue to be mashed, distilled and aged at its Canadian facilities.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
Toronto police say a 33-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly striking two men with his car Wednesday evening.
Officers say they responded to reports of a collision in the area of Don Mills Road and Gateway Boulevard in the city’s North York neighbourhood just before 10:30 p.m.
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Police say two men got into an argument, leading to one man getting into his car and hitting the other man with it.
They say the man then put his car into reverse, striking a second man.
A man in his 50s was transported to hospital with serious injuries and the second man, in his 20s, had minor injuries.
Police say the suspect from Markham, Ont., faces several other charges as well, including two counts of assault with a weapon, uttering threats and dangerous driving.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
A court document shows a Lindsay, Ont., man facing charges for allegedly breaking into an apartment was carrying a crossbow when he was confronted by a tenant.
The resident, Jeremy David McDonald, is also facing assault charges in the incident on Aug. 18 — a fact that has generated widespread interest in the case.
Police information filed in court alleges that Michael Kyle Breen damaged a window and screen at McDonald’s home and carried a crossbow.
The court document says the 41-year-old Breen is charged with break and enter, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, mischief under $5,000 and failing to comply with a probation order.
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Police have said that Breen, who is scheduled to appear in court for a bail hearing next week, was already wanted for unrelated offences.
McDonald, the 44-year-old resident, was charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon after he allegedly “did endanger the life” of Breen.
Premier Doug Ford blasted the decision to charge the apartment resident, saying last week that it shows “something is broken.”
Kawartha Lakes Police Chief Kirk Robertson wrote in a statement Wednesday that he recognizes the incident has generated significant public interest and “emotional” responses, but called some of the reaction “unjust and inaccurate.”
Robertson wrote that individuals have the right to defend themselves and their property, but the law requires that any defensive action be proportionate to the threat faced.
“This means that while homeowners do have the right to protect themselves and their property, the use of force must be reasonable given the circumstances,” he wrote.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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