Sextortion Is a Growing Threat to Kids: What Parents Need to Know

Sextortion has become one of the fastest-growing dangers kids face online. It is a form of online child sexual exploitation where someone threatens to share a sexual image or video unless the victim hands over more explicit content, money, gift cards, or follows other demands. It is not rare, and it is not the child’s fault. Understanding how it starts is the first step to stopping it.

According to a guide from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Know2Protect program, sextortion usually begins with online grooming. A predator gains trust through attention and flattery, then introduces sexual content and moves toward blackmail. Financial sextortion often targets boys ages 15 to 17 and is frequently run by organized international crime groups. One recent study found that more than a third of kids and teens had been solicited to send explicit images by someone they only knew online, and over half of those requests came within the first day of connecting.

Parents can reduce the risk by keeping conversations open and avoiding shame. Teach kids that real friends never ask them to keep secrets or to share intimate images, and that they can come to you without fear of punishment. Watch for sudden withdrawal, secrecy, mood changes, or a child who seems unusually anxious about a device.

If you suspect sextortion, stay calm. Save all communications and do not delete anything. Block the offender and report the incident to the platform, to law enforcement, and to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Never send or forward explicit images, and do not use your child’s device in a way that could destroy evidence.

Online predators count on silence. When we talk openly, keep evidence, and report quickly, we take away their power. There are real, proven steps every family can take.

Read the full guide from DHS Know2Protect here: Tips2Protect Against Sextortion for Parents and Trusted Adults.

See something you think is child exploitation online? Take it seriously and report it. Our Report a Pedophile browser plugin makes it easier to flag and document suspicious activity while you report it to the right authorities.