Online Predators Alert & Internet Child Predation Prevention
Online predators and child predation can be incredibly difficult to think about — much less figure out how to address. To help you protect your kid (and others in your community), we put together these resources.
It takes 8 minutes for an online predator to form a bond with a child.
Child Predation Red Flags
Talking through red flags can help your kid know what to watch out for as they spend time on the internet. Remind them to be sure to let you know if someone:
🚩 Asks for photos of your child — especially ones in a swimsuit
🚩 Claims to be another child, but uses full sentences and no slang terms
🚩 Requests (or tries to provide) serious emotional support
🚩 Gets frustrated if your child doesn’t respond right away
🚩 Asks your child to keep a secret… even about something that seems harmless
Resources to Fight Online Predation
How to Talk About Online Predators
Supporting Your Child After Sexual Assault
How to Teach Your Kid About Consent
Up to 85% of online offenders are hands-on abusers of children.
How Bark Helps Fight Child Predation
Bark’s content monitoring allows parents to receive alerts if their kid may be experiencing child grooming online. We also support families by providing parental controls like website blocking, location sharing, and screen time management.
Experiencing Child Predation First-Hand
In this powerful video, a mom goes undercover online as an 11-year-old to show exactly how often child grooming happens.
How to Talk About Online Predators
It can be tough to know how to talk with your kid about child predation. Here are some example talking points to help you kick things off.
“Has someone you don’t know in real life ever messaged you online?”
“What do you think an online predator would act like?”
“What would you do if a stranger online said they would hurt you or me if you didn’t do something?”
“How can you tell that someone online isn’t really who they say they are?”
A Kid-Friendly Video About Online Predators
Use this age-appropriate video to talk with your kid about child grooming.