One in 10 UK parents say their child has been a victim of online blackmail. A new study by the child protection charity NSPCC has revealed this alarming information. Blackmail can range from threats to reveal intimate photos or videos to threats to divulge personal information.
More than 2,500 parents participated in the organization's survey. One in five of them said they know a child who has been a victim of online blackmail. And one parent of two admitted—they rarely talk about it with their children.
The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) says they receive an average of more than 110 child sextortion complaints a month. International cyber criminal gangs are ensnaring teenagers and collecting intimate photos and blackmailing them with them.
Law-enforcement agencies in the UK, US and Australia say teenage boys and young men are victims of this type of sextortion, targeted by gangs based in West Africa and Southeast Asia. In many cases the consequences have been dire.
Marie Dowie, a 16-year-old from Scotland, committed suicide in 2023 after being sextorted on Instagram. Similarly, in 2022, 16-year-old Dinal de Alwis committed suicide after being blackmailed with nude photos in London.
The NSPCC says tech companies are still not doing enough to protect children. Rani Govindar, the organization's policy manager, said: 'We need to ensure that children are safe online from the start of the platform – not after the damage has been done.'
What kind of information is blackmailed with?
According to the NSPCC, blackmail can include threats to reveal intimate photos/videos, threats to reveal personal information that the child wishes to keep hidden (eg sexual orientation, photos without religious clothing).
The data can be obtained through consent, fraud, coercion, or even artificial intelligence (AI).
The perpetrator can be—an unknown sextortion ring or someone known—a friend, classmate. Their demands include—money, more pictures, or keeping the relationship.
The NSPCC says it uses the term 'blackmail' because it covers a wider range of situations beyond sextortion.
The report advises parents to refrain from 'sharing' – that is, excessively posting pictures and information of children on social media.
An open discussion with the child is essential
Experts say children need to be taught how sextortion works, be aware of who they're talking to online, and create a regular conversation environment — such as meals together or car rides.
Rani Govindar says – 'It is important to discuss the issue in age-appropriate language and create an environment where children feel free to report that they have been targeted.'
Why don't children tell parents?
Adolescents interviewed by the NSPCC said they do not report blackmail incidents to their parents because of – firstly shame, secondly the tendency to tell a friend first and thirdly they think they can handle it themselves.
The agency warned that online blackmail is becoming a bigger threat to children.
Source: The Guardian
