Amanda Todd's mom advises parents to get internet savvy

The mother of B.C. cyberbullying victim Amanda Toddsays parents must make themselvesawareof the type of troubletheir children can get into on the internet.

"We have to teach parents on what's out there and what their kids maypossibly be doing, so they can be aware of it," Carol Todd told CBC Newshost Gloria Macarenko on Wednesday during an exclusive interview at her home in Port Coquitlam, B.C.

"The best place you can talk to your kid is in your car. They have no place to go, and you're driving them, so make up excuses to drive your child ... because they are a captive audience at that time."

Todd's 15-year-old daughter committed suicide in early October. She wasthe victim of cyberstalking and cyberbullyingfortwo years, and fell into a depression.

"Have open discussions. Don't overreact with them when they share things with you," Carol Todd said when asked what adviceshe would give to parents.

"Listen with an open mind, because you will get a lot more information from your child. If you get angry, then go somewhere else [away from the child] and be angry. But at the time, try and stay calm, and try and help your childfigure out the next step."

Amanda Todd made a video she posted to YouTube that poignantly tells the story of how she was stalked and bullied, and felt completely alone. The video gainedworldwide recognition after her suicide and has had more than six million hits.

Carol Todd said Amanda was not alone, and received a great deal of help and support, but suffered a growing anxiety that ultimately left herinconsolable.

Mom wanted Amanda to get a fresh start

Todd saidshe and Amanda's fatherforced Amanda to cut herself off from social media for six months in the hope she could get a fresh start, but it didn't work.

"But it followed her. Thats what the internet doesit follows you. ... is there ever a fresh start when theres Facebook? I dont know if there ever is," Carol Todd said.

"Amanda was always that out-there kind of kid and she wanted to gather friends.So kids gather 500 friends on their Facebook and really in real life they only have 20 good friends, so the other 480, who are they really? One of the 480 was the cyberstalker."

The stalker had persuaded Amanda to take revealing photos of herself and then later demanded she do it again, but she refused and he posted them on the internet, leading to taunting and bullying fromother children at school.

Police are still investigating a case of possible criminal harassment, but have made no arrests so far.