How often should I review my child’s online activity?
Think of it as ongoing, not one-time. Quick, regular check-ins are more effective than surprise inspections.
What if my child does not want me to report or tell the school?
Listen to their fears first. Children often worry about retaliation, embarrassment, or losing control of what happens next. Explain options clearly and honestly. When reporting is required for safety or legal reasons, explain that your role is to protect them, not to punish them. Stay connected throughout the process so they do not feel abandoned […]
What should I do if something happens at school?
Start by supporting the child. Schools usually have multiple options including counseling, confidential advocacy, and formal reporting. The safest option is the one chosen by the student with support.
How can schools create safer environments?
Clear policies, age-appropriate education, trained staff, and trusted reporting pathways all reduce harm and increase the likelihood that students will speak up.
My child says someone online asked for pictures. Nothing has happened yet. What should I do?
Take it seriously even if no images were sent. Save messages and usernames. Block and report the account on the platform. Check in emotionally with your child and reinforce that they did the right thing by telling you.
Someone is threatening to share images of my child. Who do I report this to first?
If there is an active threat, preserve evidence immediately and report. Do not negotiate or pay.
Images of my child are already online. Can they be removed?
Yes, there are removal and prevention tools specifically for images involving minors. Use Take It Down to help stop the sharing of sexual images of minors without uploading the image publicly. Take It Down is a free, anonymous online service run by National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) that helps people remove or […]
My child is being pressured through gaming chat. Does this count as exploitation?
Yes. Online games are one of the most common places grooming and sextortion begin. Voice chat, private servers, and in-game messaging are frequently used. Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization that provides education and advocacy on digital literacy and online safety for children and families. It is best known for rating media content and […]
What if the person targeting my child is another minor?
It still matters. Harm is harm, even when both parties are under 18. When children are younger focus on safety and stopping the behavior rather than punishment.
Someone created a fake sexual image of my child using AI. Is this illegal?
AI-generated sexual images of minors are treated seriously and can fall under child sexual abuse material laws depending on the content and jurisdiction. The NCMEC CyberTipline is a U.S. national reporting system operated by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for receiving tips about suspected child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSAM) and […]