Sextortion: What to do if your child is being sexually harassed online

Recent years have seen an alarming increase in cases of sexual extortion (sextortion), including those targeting teenagers, according to global digital security firm ESET.

It’s a threat that can target both sexes, although the US FBI recently warned of a sharp rise in extortion targeting teenage boys.

Cases are far more than reported as many more victims may be too embarrassed to come forward.

That’s why parents and guardians need to be aware of the dangers children face online and learn some best practice tips to limit them.

What is sexual blackmail?

Sextortion is a type of blackmail where the perpetrator tricks or coerces the victim into sharing highly personal photos or videos and then threatens to release the material unless the victim pays them or agrees to send more photos or videos.

How the perpetrators act

Victims become online friends with people who hide their true identities and are then tricked into sending the scammers images or videos of a sexual nature. Victims are then pressured for more such material (or more money) or they will release the content to the victim’s friends and family.

Children and young adults are increasingly targeted for such extortion attacks, as they are usually more gullible and therefore easier for attackers to trick.

The prospect of releasing nude photos or videos to friends and family can cause severe emotional and mental trauma to victims. Children who are victims of assault are often ashamed or afraid to ask for help from friends, parents or teachers. They may succumb to blackmail, so the attacker may demand more photos or money.

These incidents can in some cases have a tragic outcome:

* In 2016, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) reported that at least four suicides had been linked to cases of sexual extortion that had gone unreported.

* In May 2022, a 17-year-old boy killed himself after a cybercriminal tried to blackmail him out of thousands of dollars.

* In June 2022 something similar happened to another 17-year-old boy in Canada after being approached on Snapchat.

* Just a few weeks ago, an American man was sentenced to 18 years in prison after he blackmailed a high school boy he had approached online to have sex with him three times and record the acts on video.

How can I protect my child from blackmail?

Parents and guardians must first understand the risks themselves and then share their knowledge with their children. Young people need to feel that they can turn to their parents for help if they are involved in a case of sexual extortion. If it happens:

1. Stop all communication with the blackmailer.

2. Don’t cave in by giving money.

3. Save as much evidence as possible, including screenshots of messages or saved images.

4. Proceed with a complaint to the police and the relevant online platform.

If the blackmailer tried to share the content online, most reputable social networking sites have policies to take it down.

Prevention

Although most sextortion threats involve social engineering rather than malware, prevention is the best course of action in these cases. Some basic steps are:

1. Be careful online: people are not always who they say they are.

2. Set your social media accounts from public to private.

3. Don’t send videos or photos to someone you haven’t met in real life.

4. Never share private photos or videos of yourself or anyone else – you have no control over what happens to the photos or videos afterwards.

5. Ignore messages from strangers and be wary of anyone who wants to take the conversation to another platform – such attempts also happen to be one of the warning signs of a romance scam.

6. Talk to parents if you think you’ve been targeted.

At the same time, remind children of the importance of using strong and unique passwords, reliable security software, and not clicking on links or downloading attachments in spam.

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