Last night I experienced a parents worst nightmare. I caught my daughter talking to someone online who was clearly lying about their age. What should I do?
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No matter what you do to protect your kids online, unfortunately incidents like this are all too common.
Follow these steps to ensure your kids are kept safe from potentially harmful connections:
- Screenshots. Screenshots. Screenshots. Save any and all communication your child has had with the person. Don’t delete anything.
- Report the communication to local authorities or use the NMEC CyberTipline at 1-800-THE-LOST. The local authorities will advise as to whether or not to block the communication, and when & how to alert the platform it occurred on.
- Keep dialogue open with your child. It's imperative your kid knows to come to you if they're ever in doubt about the conversations they're having online.
- Don’t feel guilty. It’s common for parents to blame themselves in the aftermath of something like this but you are not alone.
The important thing is to keep calm and ensure you're building and maintaining trust with your child.
Read our guide Stay safe when chatting online: a guide for parents and families for more resources and tips.
Other questions
HELP! I just caught my daughter using BeReal. What is it???
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BeReal is a photo-sharing app that encourages its users to post unfiltered photos of their real life at random times throughout the day.
How can a parent tell if their kid is being cyberbullied?
No two kids are alike, so know that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all list of warning signs that a child may be experiencing cyberbullying.
How can I decide if an online game is safe for my child?
There are many questions you can ask yourself to determine if a game is safe for your child. Here are a few that our friends at Kidas recommend.
How do I protect my children from grooming from predators on the internet?
It is much easier for someone to hide their true identity online than it is in the real world, so it’s important to talk to your child or teen often about online safety.
My kids aren't on social media sites but they talk to friends using iMessage. How can I be sure they're not talking to strangers or being bullied?
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