Screen Scaries: What Should You Do If Your Child Is Groomed to Send a Nude?

Another night, another message from a worried parent. It’s part of the job, but each new story still lands like a punch. This time, it was from Sandra (we’ll use this name for privacy), a single mom navigating a nightmare that’s becoming way too common—this one with her 14-year-old son.

The Digital Danger Zone

The trouble began innocuously on Instagram with a simple chat that quickly escalated. Sandra's son was coerced into sending a personal photo, leading to threats and extortion. When he confided in her, he was out of money and terrified.

Law Enforcement and the Gap in Digital Safety

When Sandra contacted the police for help, they were not trained to deal with such digital issues. The lack of national legislation leaves many local police departments unsure how to handle these cases, often making me a go-between for distressed parents and authorities.

A Mother's Response and Her Son's Growth

• Snapped Screenshots and Reported the Account: Sandra gathered evidence by taking screenshots and promptly reported the malicious account to help stop the perpetrator from targeting others.

• Reached Out for Expert Advice: Knowing she needed backup, Sandra contacted me for talk on next steps and how to prevent this kind of thing from happening again. (while I can’t scale myself, building a center to do this is top priority!)

• Got Professional Help: She didn’t waste any time getting her son into therapy to tackle the emotional fallout, making his mental health a top priority.

• Nature Break: Sandra took her son away from the digital world, retreating to nature to give him space to heal away from screens.

• New Phone: To cut ties with the threats, she replaced his phone, severing the line of communication with the blackmailer.

The Bigger Picture

The stark reality is, when these digital crises hit, big tech companies often aren’t held accountable, leaving us to fend for ourselves. This means putting our kids' mental and emotional well-being first, equipping them with the resilience to navigate online spaces safely.

What to Do If Your Kid Is Lured Online:

1. Prioritize Their Emotional Health: Immediate support, whether through therapy or candid family discussions, is tip top priority.

2. Shut Down the Threat: Change phone numbers, delete problematic accounts, or replace devices if necessary.

3. Document Everything: Keep records of all interactions for evidence.

4. Report It: Always report incidents to platform administrators and, if severe enough, to the police.

5. Educate and Empower: Teach your kids about the risks and signs of grooming and how to protect themselves.

TL;DR: Take it Down and Apple's New Safety Feature

When things go wrong online, Take It Down is here to help. Powered by NCMEC, this free tool empowers young people to prevent or remove explicit images of themselves from spreading across the web. Using secure, private image hashing, it enables platforms to find and block matches—no uploads needed. Find out more and take control: Take It Down.

Recently, Apple introduced a new feature designed to shield children from unwanted nude photos. As reported by The Washington Post, this tool will blur nude images in Messages and offer guidance on how to deal with them. It also alerts kids that they can discuss uncomfortable situations with a trusted adult.

Will This Feature Be Effective?

While this new feature from Apple is a positive step, its success will depend on how well it's implemented and whether the technology can effectively manage sensitive content without compromising privacy. Additionally, it's vital that kids are prepared with the right knowledge and tools to make use of these safety measures effectively.

Sharing is caring; we all need support as we grow in the digital world. What’s revealed gets healed (as my former boss Jen Batchelor would say)!

The future is bright and less blue light,

Larissa