The US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children recently reported a 192% increase in child sextortion reports, totaling over 500,000 incidents last year.
Kids as young as 11 years old are being targeted.
How predators are using Snapchat to sextort children:
Predators will create an AI-generated nude image of the child, and send it to them on Snapchat, which hosted more child sextortion incidents than all other platforms combined.
The child is then threatened with the fake image to coerce them into sending the predator money or real nude images of themselves.
What can you do to protect your child from sextortion?
Optimize Snapchat security settings:
1. Make sure your child’s account is registered as a Teen Account! Teen Accounts are for users aged 13-18 and come with automatic privacy restrictions to make Snapchat safer.
BUT it is SO easy for kids to “tweak” their age when registering for an account if they are under the minimum required age of 13 or want to get an adult account. To check the birthdate on your child’s Snapchat account, go to “My Account” > “Birthday”. Snapchat only allows users to modify their birthday twice after account creation.
2. Ensure your child’s account is set to “Ghost Mode”, so that their location isn’t being shared with anyone. To do this, go to “Settings” > “Privacy Controls” > “See My Location”.
3. Connect YOUR personal account to your child’s account via the Family Centre. This will allow you to see their activity and which friends they are connected to. Visit “Settings” > “Privacy Controls” > “Family Centre”.
4. Remind your child that even on Snapchat, photos don’t always “disappear”. People can save their snaps by taking a photo/video of it with another device, for example.
Talk to them!
1. Have open conversations about Snapchat so they feel more comfortable telling you if they come across inappropriate content on the platform.
2. Talk to them about what to do if they come across such content on Snapchat. (Block, report, tell a trusted adult).
3.When possible, set usage guidelines with your child BEFORE they join Snapchat, and remind them that their username should NOT be identifiable to them.
4. Talk to your child about using Snapchat to connect ONLY with people they already know in real life. Make sure they know to NEVER give out their personal information on Snapchat, including their last name, age, city, school, phone number, and address.
These tips are relevant to other platforms and social media channels as well.
For more information on how to talk to your child about online safety, check out our resources.
Remember! While all this can sound overwhelming and scary, using these tools will help you keep your child safer starting today!
Stay safe,
Tatyana Davies, Program Facilitator