Child sextortion is accelerating at an alarming rate. New data from the NSPCC reveals that Childline counselling sessions about financially motivated sexual extortion more than doubled in the past year, jumping from 120 cases in 2024/25 to 242 in 2025/26. Behind each number is a child — often a teenage boy, often targeted through gaming …
and help protect a child from further harm.
Every parent wants their kids to stay safe online, but technology evolves so fast that the old rules don’t always cut it anymore. A new guide from the National Cybersecurity Alliance offers a refreshingly practical set of family tech rules grounded in what real child safety experts, cybersecurity professionals, and parents are seeing every day. …
The internet your child navigates today is not the same one you grew up with. AI-generated deepfakes, social engineering scams, and platforms designed to maximize engagement have changed the landscape entirely. But the good news is this: you don’t need to become a cybersecurity expert to keep your family safe. What matters most is having …
Virtual reality headsets are becoming common in American households, and with them comes a new frontier for online predators. A 2022 survey found that 26% of teens already own a VR headset, and the immersive nature of the metaverse creates new risks for child grooming that every parent should understand. According to a detailed analysis …
Congress took a major step forward this summer when the House passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act — the KIDS Act — a sweeping package of online safety legislation aimed at protecting children from predators, harmful content, and exploitative platforms. The KIDS Act passed the House in late June with a bipartisan 267-117 …
Smart toys have become a staple in millions of homes. Teddy bears that talk back, robot companions that learn your child’s name, and interactive dolls that hold full conversations — they feel futuristic and fun. But many of them are also recording everything your child says and sending that data to servers most parents have …
Parents today are asked to navigate a digital landscape that changes faster than any guidebook can keep up with. AI-generated content, social media algorithms designed for engagement, gaming platforms with open chat, and the constant threat of online exploitation — it is a lot. The problem is not that parents do not care. It is …
Online grooming is not a single event. It is a process, and it usually unfolds over days or weeks. Understanding how it works is the first step to stopping it before a child gets hurt. Grooming is the method predators use to build trust with a child and the adults around them. It can happen …
Federal investigators are sounding the alarm about a violent online network that hunts for children inside gaming chats, social media, and private messaging apps. The group, known as 764, has been linked to predators who befriend kids in public game lobbies, then move conversations into private spaces where they use threats and blackmail to pressure …