The Rising Threat of Online Grooming

Online grooming is a process where an individual builds an emotional connection with a child to gain their trust for the purposes of sexual abuse or exploitation. It happens online, but grooming can happen in person as well.

Online grooming is often associated with social media platforms, but it can also happen in forums, messaging apps, and multi-player online games. The interactive nature of these platforms provides the perfect opportunity for the groomer to contact a child through the chat feature, which is often included.

To protect children from these dangers, parents and guardians can take a few steps:

1. Open Communication: Talk to your child and foster an environment that promotes open and honest communication, so that your child feels like they can talk to you about anything without being judged.
2. Set Boundaries: Implement rules about when and how the internet can be used. Set time limits and make sure you know which sites your child is visiting. A good practice is to have your child use their devices in a populated area of your home so that you can always monitor their activity, without being too invasive.
3. Encourage Healthy Habits: Encourage regular breaks from screen time and promote physical activity and face-to-face social interaction.
4. Check Age Ratings: Not all apps, games, and websites are suitable for all ages. Always check the age rating before letting your child use them.
5. Teach them to be Critical: Teach your child not to believe everything they read online. Encourage them to be critical and to verify information from reliable sources.
6. Monitor their Activity: Regularly check your child's online activity. This doesn't mean snooping, but rather, showing interest in what they are doing and ensuring they are using the internet responsibly.
7. Lead by Example: Children often imitate adult behaviour, so make sure you are demonstrating responsible internet use yourself. Show them how you protect your information, use strong passwords, and avoid sharing too much on social media.

You can read the original article from our DfL partner, ESET: The Rising threat of online grooming