In a 2018 study of over 5,500 U.S minors, roughly 5% reported being victims of sextortion(1). The number of global reports has increased drastically by year. In 2023, sextortion reports to NCMEC skyrocketing up to 26,718, nearly 16,000 more than the prior year(2).
These numbers indicate that it has never been more important for parents to have open communication with their children on the dangers of online activity. However, this can only effectively happen if the parents are well-informed of the risks themselves.
It is possible for teens and children to safely utilize the assets of the internet without falling prey to online predators. Continue reading to learn what you can do as a parent to discuss digital dangers with your child and protect them online.
Understanding the Dangers: Why Children Are Vulnerable
There are a multitude of factors that leave minors at risk of being victimized by online blackmailers and sextortionists. For starters, they are less aware and concerned with the potential peril of online interactions. Afterall, there’s a reason people aren’t trusted to make decisions on their own behalf until they are 18.
Additionally, they are innately curious and constantly seeking the approval of their peers. The culmination of these characteristics lends children to be more open to risky behavior. However, it’s important to remember that the online predator is at fault, not your child.
The Illusion of Online Anonymity
The ungrounded belief that individuals cannot be identified behind their internet identity leads children to act with less regard than they would in person. This results in oversharing of personal data that can reach far past the child’s scope of possibility.
Things that are shared online are permanent and their potential spread is completely out of your control once you press send. It’s best to avoid sharing personal and explicit data online, even if you believe the recipient is someone you know and trust.
Once your intimate images are spread online, it can be extremely difficult to get them removed. Even if you can have the initial post and account taken down, anybody that saw the content and downloaded it while it was up can easily reshare your photos.
The Power of Emotional Manipulation
Online predators take time to specialize their schemes to play on what will appeal to the child they are targeting. They often conduct extensive research by looking through the target’s online profiles, looking for interests, hobbies, friend’s lists, and any other information they can use to lure them in and gain their trust.
Once they have enough data to craft a compelling open to the conversation, they begin the grooming process by employing social engineering tactics. Flattery, empty promises, and exploitation of the child’s emotions can establish a false sense of trust and comradery.
They may pose as a child of the same age or even play on the child’s desire to be accepted by someone they view as a cool, older individual. This allows them to develop a fake relationship that can be exploited for online blackmail and sextortion.
Peer Pressure and Normalization
Young people, especially teens, may have their online safety threatened by pressure to engage in sexually explicit behaviors online for social acceptance. Nearly one in every four teenagers surveyed reported that they feel pressure from friends to post or send intimate images online(3).
This is due in large part to the spike in sexting among teens. According to the same database, nearly 40% of teens have engaged in sexually-charged online conversations(3). Combine this with the 95% of teens who have smartphones(4) and the normalization of online relationships, and you have the ideal landscape for online predators to compromise your teen’s safety.
Lack of Understanding of Legal Consequences
Many minors do not consider the legal ramifications of sending and receiving sexually explicit content with other underage individuals. A study by Drexel University found that over half of participants were not aware of the laws around minor sexting and that many jurisdictions charge it under CSAM protections(5).
Depending on where you live, a minor sending intimate images of themselves can be considered production and distribution of CSAM, and receiving such content can be charged as possession. This holds the potential to land a child on a sex offender registry, which can impact their options for future education, employment, and housing.
This is one of the factors that leads to sextortion of minors going largely unreported. Predators will tell the child of these possible charges in an effort to blackmail them into continuing to do their bidding.
Warning Signs and Red Flags
Since your child may be afraid to fill you in on the situation they are in, it is critical that you pick up on the warning signs that something is wrong. Changes in mood, behavior, and habits can all be a signal that your child or teen’s safety has been compromised by online blackmail.
Changes in Online Behavior
Parents should take consideration of any changes in their child’s online activity. If children become increasingly attached to and protective of their devices, it may be a sign that there is something going on that they are scared to share.
Unusual online activity that can be a sign that your child is being sextorted include:
- Deleting messages and browsing history
- Changing device passwords
- Hiding social media apps and making accounts private
- Not using devices when others can see their activity
Emotional and Behavioral Changes
The impact of digital doings can carry over into an individual’s real-world life. Even offline, the weight of sextortion may impact your child’s behavior.
Take note of in-person behavioral changes that may result from sextortion such as:
- Signs of increased anxiety, fear, or depression
- Withdrawal from social interaction
- Changes in sleep or eating patterns
Financial Demands or Gifts
Sextortionists act with the goal of monetary gain that minors typically cannot provide on their own. Unusual and unexplained requests for money, specifically gift cards, can be an indicator that your child is being victimized by an online predator.
In the initial manipulation stages, the perpetrator may send gifts to their target as a means to gain their trust and affection. Be cautious of anything sent to your child from an online “friend” who you don’t know.
Receiving or Sending Explicit Images
Seeing as sextortion revolves around the exchange of intimate images, the presence of this content on your child’s device can be a huge indicator that something is wrong. These images can easily be reshared and reposted, making them difficult to remove from the internet.
Even if your child is not currently being attacked, possessing such images and engaging in explicit conversations are behaviors that jeopardize their safety down the road. If the accounts or devices that contain this content become compromised, your child could become a sextortion victim without ever sending a nude.
How to Talk to Your Child About Sextortion
While sextortion is probably not at the top of your list of dinner-table conversation topics, it’s essential that you discuss the danger of these scams and ways your child can avoid them. Children and teens need a safe, judgement-free environment where they can be open with you, and you can effectively educate them on cybersecurity.
Create a Safe and Open Environment
Minors dealing with sextortion already have a lot on their plate and often don’t report the incident to an adult out of fear, shame, and guilt. Chastising and punishing your child will not resolve the matter and will only deter them from coming to you for help in the future.
Instead, establish a judgement-free conversation that lets your child know that you are there to support them. Encourage them to be completely honest with you about the situation and reaffirm that they are the victim, not the wrongdoer.
Explain the Risks and Consequences
Conversations around sexual topics can be difficult and uncomfortable for both you and your child. Try to explain sextortion and the potential blackmail ramifications of sharing sexual content online. Use an age-appropriate approach in an environment where your child feels comfortable and engaged.
Bringing up sextortion cases that received media coverage can provide a segway into the conversation and show your child that they are not alone. For example, a thirty-year-old man from Minnesota was recently sentenced to 27 years in prison for orchestrating a sextortion scam that victimized over 60 underage girls(6).
Discuss Online Privacy and Security
Safeguarding your data online is an important security measure for all internet users, especially children and teens. Emphasize the importance of using strong passwords and utilizing strict privacy settings when using online platforms.
Explain to your child that oversharing personal information can give a cybercriminal the leverage they need to commit online blackmail. Let them know that they should keep their private information private, even from people they think are “friends”.
Empower Your Child to Say No
Even outside of sextortion, it is crucial for parents to instill in their children that they can and should remove themselves from situations that make them feel pressured or uncomfortable. Resisting coercion and establishing personal boundaries is important for all aspects of life.
Regular Check-Ins and Ongoing Conversations
This conversation cannot be a one-off event. An ongoing conversation about online safety is needed as the strategies of online predators are constantly evolving with the ever-changing digital realm.
In order to properly ensure the safety of your child or teen, you also need to be educated on the latest trends in cybercrime. Conducting regular research of online scams and cybersecurity will be beneficial for the entire family.
What to Do If Your Child Is a Victim
Finding out that your child has been sextorted can rock your entire world, but it’s important that you take the right action to mitigate the damage of the situation.
- Remain Calm and Supportive: Your child’s safety falling under attack is scary, but they are depending on you. Remain rational and reassure your child that they are not alone. Avoid shaming them and remind them that they are not to blame. As the numbers suggest, sextortionists use sophisticated strategies that can swindle even the most cautious child.
- Document Everything: Take screenshots and save any relevant messages or images that allow you to construct an accurate timeline of the attack. Make sure to handle and document the evidence with care to preserve it and make sure it is admissible for legal action.
- Report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: The NCMEC is a non-profit organization that combats crimes that endanger children. Their Take It Down service is a free tool that can remove underage nudes from the internet and prevent their spread via hatch-based matching.
- Seek Professional Help: Contact a therapist or counselor who specializes in trauma and online safety. You can call the National Crisis Hotline, Thorn, and the NCMEC CyberTipline to connect with resources who can help provide emotional support.
Prevention and Ongoing Education
Whether you’ve already handled a situation where your child was being sextorted or you’re looking to preserve their online safety, taking preventative action is always necessary. Establishing a security system and staying up to date on cybersecurity trends will help you to position your child to avoid potential danger online. You can do this by:
- Setting Clear Boundaries and Rules: Establish rules for online activity and device usage and check in regularly with respect for your child’s privacy. Limiting screen time and employing website blockers can help shield your child’s safety.
- Educating About Healthy Online Relationships: Online platforms can allow users to establish bonds with friends who they may not get the chance to meet in person. However, that doesn’t replace the importance of real-life connections, and your online friend might not be who they claim.
- Staying Informed About Online Trends: Keep up with new apps and platforms that your child may be engaging with. You may want to create profiles to monitor your child’s activity. You can also attend workshops and seminars discussing online safety for children and teens.
Sources:
- Sextortion Among Adolescents: Results From a National Survey of U.S. Youth – Justin W. Patchin, Sameer Hinduja, 2020
- NCMEC Releases New Sextortion Data
- Teenage Sexting Statistics | GuardChild
- Internet, digital device access among US teens, by demographic traits | Pew Research Center
- Majority of Minors Engage in Sexting, Unaware of Harsh Legal Consequences
- Winona man gets 27-year sentence for sextortion scheme that targeted dozens of minor girls – KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News
DISCLAIMER: THIS POST IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER. DIGITAL FORENSICS CORP. IS NOT A LAWFIRM AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE OR SERVICES. By viewing posts, the reader understands there is no attorney-client relationship, the post should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney, and readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.
