By the end of this article, you will understand what online child sexual exploitation is, how it happens, how to recognize the warning signs, what to do if you suspect it, and – most of all – how to prevent it in the first place.
For many kids, summer marks the start of freedom: less structure, more time with friends, and greater independence – both offline and online. With school routines on pause, children and teens can spend more time on phones, gaming platforms, social media, and messaging apps, sometimes with less supervision. The usual guardrails that school provides like in-class supervision and restricted use of digital devices, may be lacking in summer. And while increased digital access can create valuable opportunities for connection, creativity, and self-expression, it can also increase exposure to online harms, including grooming, sextortion, and exploitation.
In recent years, various studies have shown that the percentage of parents who talk with their children about internet safety is generally low in comparison to the high percentage of parents who say they are very concerned about online safety as well as the quantity of time their kids spend online each day. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, using social media is “nearly universal, with up to 95% of young people ages 13-17 reporting using a social media platform and more than a third saying they use social media ‘almost constantly.’” HHS.gov
Many parents would like more transparency through conversations and interaction with their children online but don’t necessarily know how to start that conversation. Having a conversation with your child early and often can help build boundaries around internet usage, particularly as they learn to navigate online. A 2025 census conducted by Common Sense Media says, “forty percent of kids have a tablet by age 2, and nearly 1 in 4 have a personal cellphone by age 8.”
In addition, the census found that children’s internet use is shifting, citing traditional TV viewing has decreased while online gaming “has surged 65% in four years” and platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have increased in popularity. On Snapchat, with the click of a button you can “become friends” with someone who appears friendly but isn’t. A “Snap” or a “chat” can be viewed once and then disappear, making it untraceable. An Instagram Reel can “pop up” and suddenly, out of nowhere, your child has “seen something they can’t unsee.”
Online access creates a real risk of exposure to content and connections that can be inappropriate or even damaging to a child.
And many of these platforms have fewer guardrails which encourage exploring and engaging on the internet whether that is with known friends or with people who pretend to be friendly but aren’t. That “friend” may not actually be a peer. They may be attempting to groom and exploit the child.
Keeping it real: virtual threats aren’t virtually harmless
Jim Cole, Senior Advisor for Cyber Strategy and Child Protection at Our Rescue says, “No human being should have to see the kinds of unimaginable things that investigators see when working a child sexual exploitation case.”
This material exists because children were victimized. Investigators who identify those children carry a tremendous weight on their shoulders long after a case has moved out of the investigation phase.
Jim has spent more than thirty years in law enforcement, twenty of which were as a federal agent. At the Department of Homeland Security, Jim founded the agency’s first Victim Identification Program and Laboratory at the HSI Cyber Crimes Center. Jim also served as Chair of the INTERPOL Specialists Group on Crimes Against Children. His advice for parents is simple: talk with your children about online safety and the risks of child exploitation. Unless you know the person you are interacting with (Snapchatting, as an example), you may very well be in contact with a sexual predator. Jim also advises not sharing personal photos or content on the internet, even if you feel it is safe.
His warning to parents and caregivers is a far more troubling reality: Take the time to get informed and understand the risks your children face with unsupervised online access. It is all too easy to land on a page that has explicit adult content that can be traumatic to a child. And it is far too easy for them to engage sexual predators without a clue that the person they are communicating with is a serious threat. They only see the computer screen and not the adult perpetrator posing as a child, speaking in their language and tone, “just wanting to be friends.”
Jim adds that parents know how to educate children not to take candy from strangers and not to climb into a car with someone they don’t know. We’ve all heard of “Stranger Danger.”
But what if that “stranger” is no stranger at all?
Children often seek out people who make them feel loved and understood.
“In a significant number of cases I worked, the offender wasn’t a stranger to the child. They were a coach, a family acquaintance, an older peer, or someone who already had an established level of trust with the child,” said Jim.
That trust is exactly what gets exploited. And it gets moved online specifically to get it out of the sight of parents.
One notable change in the current generation is that the vast majority have never known a world without cell phones, laptops for doing homework, online gaming platforms, or social media. In fact, during the COVID pandemic, many children and their families were “virtual” for school, work, and social activity – for months. The outcome was that for many young people today, friendship and connection is no longer defined by a physical location. This distinction is vital for parents and caregivers to understand if they want to help educate their children about their online safety and to prevent sexual exploitation from ever occurring.
What is child sexual exploitation?
On this, the internet agrees: sexual exploitation and abuse of a minor (is) “a horrific crime that targets some of the most vulnerable people in our communities – kids and teens. It includes a broad range of criminal acts that involve victimizing a minor for sexual gratification or some other personal or financial gain.”
This source further states, “Online child sexual exploitation and abuse take many forms, including the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, sextortion and threats of self-harm.”
And because this abuse is occurring on the internet, it is everywhere. It is the new form of a global pandemic.
How does online child exploitation happen?
Reinforcing the point that online child exploitation is a global threat, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime lists child grooming, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and live streaming of child sexual abuse. such as enticing or soliciting children for sexual purposes.
Children of all ages, genders, socio-economic status, and geographic location are vulnerable to online threats. With the introduction and rapid ascension of generative AI, even adults question whether content is real or a fabricated “deep fake.”
Grooming may involve an online “friend” who encourages or threatens the child to keep things secret, isolating the child from their support network. The perpetrator may engage in excessive flattery to help earn trust and establish an emotional link with minors, constantly complimenting them, telling them how special they are, or using other persuasive statements.
“Law enforcement across the U.S. are seeing a dramatic surge in financially-motivated sextortion that specifically targets teen boys. A predator makes contact, builds just enough trust to get one image, and then the threats begin,” said Jim. “It moves fast and kids don’t tell anyone because they’re terrified and ashamed.”
“Summer is a high risk window for exactly this: unstructured time, more platform hopping, and less adult oversight,” he added. “Parents need to be aware that this exists and know what it looks like.”
How to recognize the warning signs of online child exploitation
Examples of warning signs that may indicate online child exploitation include but are not limited to:
- Specific behavior like repeatedly deleting browser histories, hiding apps (using vault apps) to hide photos and messages, and creating new or secret profiles or accounts on gaming platforms and social media.
- Sudden extreme secrecy such as hiding their screen, closing out of apps, or turning devices off when you enter the room.
- The appearance of cash or new items that you did not give your child or teen – unexplained “gifts” of clothing, money, or other items may be “rewards” from an online predator who is exploiting your child.
- Children who suddenly withdraw emotionally or isolate themselves from family and friends (including losing interest in hobbies or spending a lot of time online at night) may be inadvertently signaling you that there is reason for concern.
- Extreme fearfulness or anxiety, depression or distress, or a combination of these behaviors may be emotional indicators that something inappropriate is happening online.
- Familiarity with sexual topics or content that is age-inappropriate, or using sexual language, may also be red flags.
- Online friendships that may appear “secret” or are older in age or maturity than your child. Again, this could be a flag.
“Sextortion is one of the fastest-growing and least understood threats that face children online today,” said Jim.
A predator needs only one image and a few minutes to turn a child’s life upside down.
In 2024, NCMEC received nearly 100 reports of financial sextortion every single day – and those are just the cases that were reported.
“Most children suffer in silence because they’re ashamed and scared,” added Jim. “Parents need to know if this is happening. They need to know what it looks like and make sure their kids know that they can come to them without fear of being judged or punished. That conversation could save a life.”
How to prevent online child exploitation: Our Rescue’s Shield Platform
- Education is crucial. Parents and caregivers should first take the time to fully understand what online child exploitation is and how it works. Also learn about your child’s online interests and habits by sitting beside them as they surf the web. Normalize the concept that online access comes with supervision and follow through with that supervision – these boundaries can create a kind of safety net and help your child establish a healthy awareness of the real threats that exist on the internet. Supervision is best when paired with trust, conversation, and relationships. Not only monitoring or restriction. Otherwise, some youth may simply become more secretive rather than safer. Your presence truly is one of the best methods to keep your child safe online.
- Tap into internet safety tools. There are apps that enable parents to monitor their child’s cell phone use including time online or on calls, search history with a list of sites and pages viewed, where and when they’re interacting online, and their chats and text messages. Set parental controls on devices to help reduce the chance of landing on sensitive, adult, or sexually explicit content they shouldn’t see. And set specific times when they can and cannot have access to their devices. Again, this can help children develop healthy habits with their mobile devices and responsible use.
- Utilize resources. Our Rescue has developed a comprehensive, stage-based safety guide called “Our Shield Platform.” This guide grows with your child from birth through adolescence with a framework that equips parents with practical tools, age-appropriate conversations, and proven strategies to keep children safe online while building their digital confidence and protecting their private information.
- Start the dialogue. Our Rescue believes “online safety begins offline.” It is ongoing, not a one-time or one-size-fits-all conversation. It is a lifelong dialogue that evolves as our children grow up in this increasingly digital, AI-powered environment. Start early and talk often, keeping lines of communication open and non-judgmental so that kids feel safe coming to you with anything they encounter online. Start early and talk often, keeping lines of communication open and non-judgmental so that kids feel safe coming to you with anything they encounter online.
- Be informed and aware. Get to know your child’s digital universe. Become familiar with the apps, games, and websites they use. Again, your presence is one of the best ways to protect your child and to help them learn how to navigate the internet safely and responsibly.
- Stay engaged. Your presence is the most powerful tool to help ensure the safety of your child or teen. Remaining open to dialogue, receptive and not judgmental, can help build trust between parents and children.
- Report suspected cases of abuse. If you suspect a child may be at risk, report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline. This national centralized system for reporting online child sexual abuse or exploitation, operates 24/7. Reports can be submitted online at cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
The fight against human trafficking and child exploitation knows no boundaries
– it often involves the collaboration of multiple agencies across jurisdictions, with significant global and local resources to help identify, investigate, arrest, and prosecute perpetrators. In addition to these efforts, survivor care resources are essential to making sure survivors have the support they need to begin their healing journey. It is imperative to provide timely and comprehensive assistance to survivors of online child exploitation and to stay by their side for as long as they need.
Your donation helps Our Rescue and the law enforcement partners we support protect more children and equip families with the tools they need to help keep children safer online. Please donate now to support the important Training and Prevention work that Our Rescue provides in communities around the world. WE NEED YOUR HELP in the fight against human trafficking and child exploitation.
Once again, if you suspect a child may be at risk, please report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline. This national centralized system for reporting online child sexual abuse or exploitation, operates 24/7. Reports can be submitted online at cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
