Talking to Kids About Exploitation

Babies aren’t born depressed, anxious or suicidal, but increasingly large numbers of our youth are. Why? I believe the answer to so much of this epidemic can fit in a little 3 by 5 inch device, their phones. Many kids are living a double life online. A life they don’t want adults to know about. We’ve got two kids, 21 and 16, I firmly believe this is the hardest time to parent that we’ve ever faced. Kids are dying. Suicide due to sextortion and online bullying. Children are sending and receiving inappropriate (illegal) photos and videos. Some with people they know. Other kids send these photos to strangers who demand money or they tell kids they will share these photos with family, friends and schools. Some kids, in a desperate panic, kill themselves. Teens are overdosing on pills purchased on Snapchat. It’s happening in my community and it’s happening in yours. What can we do? Talk to your kids early and often. Have conversations about suicide, drugs, sex, the illegalities of sending and receiving photos without their clothes on, catfishing and sextortion. Talk about terms like Sugar Daddy/Sugar Baby and online predators. Did you know elementary school aged kids are offered money for photos online? If they have any social media it’s common. Watch the Hulu documentary Social Studies. Talk to your kids and their friends about it. If topics in the above paragraphs are too uncomfortable for you to discuss with your kids… they are not ready to have a phone, computer or tablet. Because they will be exposed to it all. Try this with your kid. Ask them for their phone tonight. Look at their photos together, their apps and their chats. If they freak out, if they won’t let you look, that is your sign to dig deeper. If your kid isolates in their room with their phone or computer, dig deeper. Our kids desperately crave connection. They want and need validation. We need to be that conduit for them. Not strangers behind their screens. Big tech is not going to keep our kids safe. But we need to do everything in our power as parents to try.

3 things I do to *pr3dator proof* my preteen as a mom who holds a master’s in Forensic Psychology, worked in law enforcement intelligence, and started a mental health nonprofit serving survivors of human tr*fficking as young as 2yrs old; a 🧵 1. We started talking about healthy vs unhealthy relationships *early*. I mean, by 4 we would unpack how weird it was that Belle loved the dude who kidnapped her dad, how Ariel traded everything for a boy she didn’t know, or why it could be problematic to help villains who keep intentionally hurting others 🚩🚩🚩 Having regular conversations like this (in a non scary way!) helps our kids learn to start identifying patterns, making them much harder targets for Pr3dators & toxic people. 2. We started talking about safe vs unsafe people early too. This included things like “a safe person will never ask you to keep secrets from mom or dad”. But just as important, I taught her how to recognize exactly what “safe” feels like in her body (deep breathing, dropped shoulders, relaxed stomach), vs what “unsafe” feels like (tense neck and shoulders, holding her breath, clenched stomach). This gave her the ability to identify very quickly when she feels uncomfortable. 3. I taught her to listen to her gut, starting with the “small” things. In an effort to rush through “inconvenient” feelings, we often suppress our kids’ instincts, disconnecting them from their natural alarm system. For example, it’s so common to hear parents *tell* rather than *ask* their kids if they’re ok when they’re sad or hurt. A lot of times dangerous people rely on their targets ignoring this instinct, or hesitating when red flags pop up. These are all ongoing conversations—I suggest sprinkling in a comment here and there. I keep it to 5 mins or less, unless my kid drives the discussion. Nobody wants to be lectured, you know? 🥲 If these resonate, I put together a mini child safety with more examples of conversations and activities I do with my 5 & 12 yr old to keep them safe. I share my insights and approach to things like sleepovers & how to talk about sensitive topics. I also have a free newsletter for parents into child safety, breaking cycles, & building a legacy of wellness for future generations ❤️🔥 Link to both are in the comments.

Not every compliment is a kindness. Especially when it's coming from a chatbot. In Aesop's The Fox and the Crow, the fox flatters the crow until she drops her cheese. A little praise. A big mistake. The lesson wasn't just about vanity. It was about recognizing manipulation. Today, the fox doesn't wear fur. Sometimes it sounds like an AI companion. Kids are increasingly interacting with AI chatbots, voice assistants, and companion apps. Many offer real benefits: • companionship • language practice • creative play But some are designed to be too agreeable. They rarely push back. They mirror what users want to hear. Some are optimized for engagement rather than healthy disagreement. Researchers call this 𝗔𝗜 𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗼𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆: a tendency for models to affirm users instead of appropriately challenging them. When constant praise starts to feel like truth, critical thinking can suffer. That's why one of the most important digital skills we can teach children is recognizing that confidence isn't the same as correctness, even when it comes from AI. The American Academy of Pediatrics hasn't issued AI-specific guidance yet, but its digital wellness principles still offer a useful roadmap: • Encourage critical thinking over passive use • Teach digital skepticism by asking questions like, "Why do you think the chatbot said that?" or "Could it be wrong?" • Use age-appropriate, COPPA-compliant tools • Create family boundaries with the AAP Family Media Plan • Stay informed about proposed legislation such as the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), which would require covered platforms to take reasonable steps to help protect minors from certain harms Health literacy isn't just about understanding health information. It's also about raising children who know how to question what they hear, whether it comes from a person...or a very persuasive fox.

Platforms keep telling families to “be the arbiters” of online safety because it shifts responsibility away from them. After watching Roblox CEO David Baszucki's interview on The New York Times Hard Fork Podcast with Casey Newton and Kevin Roose, the takeaway is clear. We cannot wait for Silicon Valley to develop a conscience (who is really waiting anymore, cmon), and we cannot assume platforms with 150 million daily users will voluntarily build guardrails for children. That does not mean we are powerless. It means the work shifts closer to home. Here is what communities can actually do. 1. Build real digital literacy, not fear campaigns. Children do not need scare tactics. They need to understand how platforms steer behavior, how strangers operate online, and how design choices influence what they see. When kids understand the patterns, they navigate them with confidence. 2. Normalize open conversations at home. Ask kids with whom they play. Ask what makes them uncomfortable. Ask what feels confusing or stressful. Children talk when they feel they will not be punished for honesty. 3. Treat online spaces like any other community space. We do not send kids to a playground without talking about boundaries. Screens do not change the core responsibility. Families can help children identify safe spaces, leave experiences that feel wrong, and recognize that a stranger online is still a stranger. 4. Use public libraries, educators, and community groups. Adults who work with children see patterns families do not always catch. They can help interpret settings, teach media literacy, and point toward healthier digital environments that support creativity without unnecessary risk. 5. Share information across households. One family’s story often protects ten others. When parents talk to each other about what their children encounter online, gaps close quickly. Platforms rely on isolation. Communities reduce it. 6. Push back when companies frame engagement as safety. A million users in a game does not make the space safe. Popularity is not proof of care. Families have every right to ask what a company chooses to prioritize, what it ignores, and who gets left carrying the consequences. 7. Model what healthy digital engagement looks like. Kids watch how adults use technology. When families practice boundary-setting, critical questioning, and intentional use, those patterns transfer far faster than any settings menu ever will. The interview showed a CEO clearly comfortable placing responsibility on parents, putting safety second to profit, and while celebrating its own scale. Real safety begins with informed families, connected neighborhoods, and children who understand the digital world well enough to push back on it when needed. Platforms respond to pressure when communities stop cooperating with narratives that do not match reality. We cannot fix Silicon Valley. We can strengthen the places where kids actually grow up. Blog link in the comments.

Ten things I’d tell parents to stop doing for their kids’ online safety. ⬇️ 1: Stop making it scary to come to you. Your kid clicks a bad link or sees something weird? They need to know you’ve got their back, not that they’re in trouble. 2: Stop thinking parental controls are enough. They’re a tool, not a solution. You gotta actually talk to your kids about why these rules exist. 3: Stop ignoring where your kids actually are online. They’re on gaming platforms and private messaging apps, so should your awareness. 4: Stop pretending scams won’t happen to them. Talk about the real threats. Fake friend requests. Sextortion. Too-good-to-be-true giveaways. This is literally what I break down every week, so follow me to stay sharp on what’s actually out there. 5: Stop letting them chat with people they’ve never met in person. If they haven’t met them IRL, they shouldn’t be in their DMs. 6: Stop ignoring what they’re posting. School name, location tags, daily routines, that’s a roadmap for predators. 7: Stop being hands-off. You don’t need to be creepy about it, but you gotta stay engaged. 8: Stop assuming one talk is enough. Online safety isn’t a one-time conversation. It’s something you circle back to as they grow and new threats pop up. 9: Stop monitoring in secret. Be transparent about it. Tell them you’re checking in and why. Frame it as protection, not surveillance, so they get that it’s about keeping them safe. 10: Stop waiting for a problem to happen. Prevention beats crisis management every single time. follow @cybersecuritygirl for more online safety tips

Now that summer break is here and children spend more time online, one of the most important safety conversations parents and caregivers can have is about digital awareness. Today's online environment offers incredible opportunities to learn, connect, and explore. Unfortunately, it also provides opportunities for criminals to target young people through manipulation, exploitation, extortion, and other harmful schemes. Recent FBI and IC3 alerts highlight a growing trend of criminals using social media, gaming platforms, messaging apps, and other online communities to target children and teens. Threat actors often build trust before attempting to exploit, coerce, or extort their victims. What parents and caregivers can do: -Know what apps, games, and platforms your children are using. -Maintain open, judgment-free conversations about online interactions. -Discuss the risks of sharing personal information, photos, or videos. -Encourage children to report suspicious or uncomfortable interactions immediately. -Watch for sudden changes in behavior, withdrawal, secrecy, or emotional distress.  Resources: • Violent Online Networks Target Vulnerable and Underage Populations https://lnkd.in/e8B8p96a • The Com: Theft, Extortion, and Violence Are a Rising Threat to Youth Online https://lnkd.in/e8bFAuPu • Child Predators Use Online Gaming to Contact Children https://lnkd.in/eu3aHt2E • Violent Online Groups Extort Minors to Self-Harm and Produce Child Sexual Abuse Material https://lnkd.in/ecuU_dm9 • FBI Warning on Sextortion Schemes Against Minors (Safer Internet Day 2026) https://lnkd.in/eAjDEjfS The best online safety tool isn't software, it's communication. When children know they can come to a trusted adult without fear of punishment, they're far more likely to report concerning online activity before it becomes a crisis. Together, we continue Protecting the Pulse of America, right here in New York and beyond. #ProtectingThePulseOfAmerica #ConnectCommunicateProtect #NYC

𝐀 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲: I started in this industry at 14 years old. I’ve seen firsthand how young individuals are far too often taken advantage of, manipulated, and coerced. That’s exactly why my personal ethos has always been to champion protection and freedom for young talent. Time and time again, the perpetrators of these harms are individuals who have never really worked in the entertainment industry but see it as a shortcut to monetary success. They imagine there’s a secret playbook: that someone can wave a magic wand and turn their child or their client into an A-list celebrity overnight. Here’s the wake-up call: 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘺. There is no cheat code, no guaranteed path to overnight stardom. The entertainment industry is complex, demanding, and brutally honest about what it takes to succeed. It takes years of hard work, learning, and resilience; and even then, there are no guarantees. "Managers" have come and gone after realizing it is harder than it seems. Parents have had entire documentaries made about them because they tried to exploit situations they didn’t fully understand, harming the very talent they claimed to protect. 👉 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲-𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲? ✅ 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 & 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲: Managers should actively educate talent (and families) on contracts, payments, rights, and protections. No gatekeeping! Transparency is the best safeguard against exploitation. ✅ 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦: No manager can do it all alone. Surround talent with reputable lawyers, accountants, and mental health professionals to create a protective support network. ✅ 𝐏𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭: Beyond clicks and followers, a client’s well-being must come first. Know when they’re exhausted or uncomfortable, and protect their humanity over short-term gain. If you truly care about young artists, protect them. Listen to them. Empower them. The industry will only get better if we support their freedom to thrive, not treat them as a quick ticket to profit.

Netflix’s Adolescence just pulled back the curtain on something every parent, educator, and mentor needs to know—the hidden language of emojis. Online, young people are communicating in ways that most adults completely miss. What looks innocent could have a much darker meaning. Here are some of the codes being used: 🔴 Red Pill – “I see the truth.” Used in toxic male spaces to mean waking up to supposed hidden ‘truths’ about women and society, often linked to misogynistic ideologies. 🔵 Blue Pill – Represents those who are “blind to the truth” or still believe in mainstream views about relationships and gender dynamics. 💥 Dynamite Emoji – An “exploding red pill,” meaning someone is a radicalised incel. 🫘 Kidney Bean – A symbol linked to incel culture, sometimes mocking women. 💯 100 Emoji – Tied to the “80/20 rule,” the belief that 80% of women are only attracted to 20% of men. ❤️ 💜 💛 💗 🧡 Heart Colours – Not just about love! ❤️ = Love 💜 = Lust 💛 = “Are you interested?” 💗 = Interested but not in sex 🧡 = “You’ll be okay” So what should parents do? 1️⃣ Get Curious, Not Combative – Ask open-ended questions: “I saw something about emojis meaning different things. Have you heard of this?” Keep the conversation light. 2️⃣ Create a Judgment-Free Zone – If your child feels like they’ll be punished for opening up, they won’t. Make it clear you’re there to listen, not just lecture. 3️⃣ Decode Together – Ask them to explain their digital world. What do different symbols mean? Who are the influencers they follow? Don’t assume—ask. 4️⃣ Teach Critical Thinking – Help them question online content. “Why do you think some groups push this idea? Who benefits?” Arm them with questions, not just rules. 5️⃣ Monitor Without Spying – Open conversations work better than secret surveillance. Make checking in on their online spaces a normal part of parenting, not a crisis move. 6️⃣ Be Real About Manipulation – Explain how toxic online groups groom young people by making them feel special, included, or like they have ‘insider knowledge.’ 7️⃣ Build Their Offline Confidence – The more they feel valued and confident in the real world, the less they’ll seek validation in dangerous online spaces. At Manhood Academy Global, we don’t just talk about the dangers—we equip young people and parents to navigate them. 🔥 Start with You Made A Promise – A powerful call to action for parents with children in crisis, reminding them that raising a child is more than survival—it’s a promise that must be kept. 🔥 Then read 22+1 Laws of the Master Teacher – A must-read for anyone mentoring, teaching, or guiding young people. Learn the principles that shape powerful leaders and educators. 📖 Explore more: www.aisle23.etsy.com Because if we do not initiate the child into the village, he will burn it down just to feel the warmth.

Children deserve both honest and age-appropriate language when talking about difficult topics, but so many of us are failing at this. Finding the right balance can feel overwhelming, especially if you don’t have training in trauma-informed care. That’s why I want to offer some guidance for anyone struggling to communicate with the children in their lives right now: My Suggestions: 1. Learn age-appropriate techniques for telling the truth about hard things. Children are incredibly perceptive and often sense when adults are withholding information. Lies erode trust, and trust is essential for their mental health. They NEED to know they can count on you to be the one person they can trust. 2. Young children don’t need all the details. Keep explanations short and simple. For kids under 7, limit it to a few sentences. If they ask more questions, answer as honestly as you can—or let them know you’ll find the answers together. 3. Older children (preteens and teens) can handle more. Be prepared for deeper questions and an honest discussion. Avoid sugarcoating, they respect transparency. Children thrive on trust and consistency, especially during times of uncertainty. Being truthful in an age-appropriate way helps lay a foundation for resilience and healing from trauma. With all this said, it’s important that tact and empathy are also part of your conversations with children. Being blunt and harsh with the truth is just as harmful as lying. If you need help talking about hard things with kids, reach out to a mental health professional you trust. How can kids begin to heal when they don’t know the truth of their life? If you found this helpful, share it with someone who needs it. My heart goes out to everyone impacted by the tragedies taking place around the world today.

Boys are navigating a barrage of extreme content online. As a parent, as a teacher, we can give them the tools to understand it, to question it and to pushback. Check out the new UN Women's guide for parents on how to talk to your teens about the #manosphere. The manosphere is no longer fringe. It is mainstream — and it is reaching young people where they spend so much of their lives: online. Within 23 minutes of scrolling, a teenage boy can go from looking up workout tips to being fed extremist misogynistic content. That is not an accident. Platforms reward content that keeps people watching, and messages that provoke outrage spread fastest. These messages normalize control, resentment and misogyny, and are often disguised as confidence, belonging or advice. The data is clear: young men who internalize rigid ideas of masculinity are 10 times more likely to sexually harass someone. What happens online does not stay online. It shapes how young people think, speak and behave. For parents and caregivers, the question is not only what young people are watching. It is how we talk to them about it. UN Women put together a practical guide on how to recognize the signs, ask better questions, and help teens think critically about what they see online. Gender equality starts at home. And it starts with this conversation. 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eqFQm5zx #ForAllWomenAndGirls #UNWomen #OnlineSafety #DigitalSafety #WomensRights #HumanRights #DigitalViolence #RedPill #CriticalThinking #positivemasculinity #GlobalDayOfParents #GoodParenting #teens #teenagers #adolescence #Parenting #teachers #mentalhealth