An online shield against…anything bad!
It’s just a photo right?
You took off your privacy settings to gain more followers, or meet new people. Someone approaches you on social media, or your gaming app and he is real nice. He says flattering things that make you feel special, like you matter. After a while he even offers you gifts, money or a fairytale love story. So why not send him the exposing photo of yourself, that he is suddenly asking. It’s the least you can do for someone who seems to care about you, and does so much for you. So you send it. All of a sudden the flattery stops and threats roll in. He demands more pictures, maybe even a video, or maybe to meet, and even to entertain his friends. It does not feel good anymore, you’re confused, but scared he will post those incriminating photos online, or send them to everyone in your school. So you do it. All of it.
The contradicting thing about our online lives is the need to hide, yet still connect with people, and find validity from strangers. Unfortunately, other than your good friends and immediate family, most of the online relationships are just air, not real, something we can’t touch. The scenario above might not necessarily lead into being trafficked, but it will harm you. What if you would like to become president one day? Our online presence is a business card for our future goals, so why not design it as professionally as we can.
First, let’s familiarise ourselves with the possible threats online and then build our shield to protect ourselves from them. The internet can seem like a tempting faraway land to escape into, to live other lives, and experience incredible things, but it is important to understand that this land also has a large shadow that lingers in wait for its next victim in each portal you enter. According to the FBI this shadow consists of over 500 000 criminals online each day, trying to lure teens into their traps.
Someone approaches you online, who you do not know in real life. It does not have to be an adult male from a profile. It can also be a profile of a teenager your own age. This person might even talk, or sound like any of your normal friends. What could happen next?
Threat number 1. Sextortion
An online account you have been chatting with might be an adult, (most often a male) and like mentioned above, after a while will ask for incriminating photos or videos. He will later use these to demand more. There are even cases where these adult criminals pretend to be a young ‘girl’ and ask boys to send graphic videos of themselves. Other cases start with the offer of currency or credits in a video game in exchange for a quick picture. Some just offer love and admiration until they get what they want. This can escalate quickly and make you feel completely trapped, isolated and even bring on depression and anxiety.
Shield
NEVER take or share any incriminating photos of yourself that you would not want more people to see. It is also important to understand that as soon as an adult asks a minor for a graphic photo they have commited a crime. I would advice that you mention this to an adult you trust (preferably a parent, or a teacher, advisor etc) who can have this checked out by the FBI (link here) and hopefully stop this criminal from hurting other teens like yourself.
Threat number 2. Personal information extortion.
You meet someone online and they ask a lot of personal questions. Where do you live? Whats school do you go to? Do you have any brothers or sister? Are your parents still together? Who do you live with? And so on. Again, this might be a fake account, and an adult is trying to get as much information as he can to build a profile on you. In best case scenario he might use it to threaten you for photos or other favours. He might say he will come to your school, bomb your house or kidnap your little sister. In worst case scenarios it might be a trafficker looking for vulnerable youth to groom into sex trafficking. Many teenagers from difficult family backgrounds are targeted online.
Shield
NEVER share any personal information with someone you don’t know personally. It is non of their business. Treat your online relationships the same way as you would when you meet a stranger on the street. Would you tell a random guy your home address? I hope not. The same goes for your online life.
Threat number 3. The meet up (the scariest one)
You’ve met someone online, and after a while they ask you to meet in person. The reasons may vary. Maybe you think this guy is now your boyfriend who wants to finally meet. Maybe it’s a ‘girl’ and you want to meet your new friend. Maybe it’s an online modeling scout who has a website and everything, and is asking you to go to a casting. It is probably something exciting, and a little dangerous and you can’t wait to go meet them.
Shield
NEVER meet in person with anyone you have met online. That person is always going to be in control, because they know more about you than you about them. It’s like taking a test only the teacher knows answers to. You can’t benefit from it. Meeting in person can be extremely dangerous. They might take you to a party, even buy you knew clothes, toys, or even take ‘casting’ photos of you. And you go back home happy, but then the next time…. A lot of sex trafficking victims come from harsh backgrounds, and are targeted because of that. A lot of children get abused by their own family members. BUT teens from perfectly functioning families are also groomed into trafficking, or abuse. Don’t let yourself be one of them! If it truly is a modeling scout (which I doubt), go with an adult the first year to each appointment. Better yet just trust the most established agencies that have worked in the industry for many years.
Don’t sell yourself short. Use the internet to educate yourself, to build your future, to connect with real friends and family, to get inspired by others. Help your friends understand the threats as well, and how to build your shields. Then you won’t need love, validation, credits or gifts from strangers online. Best of all, this can all be done while having your privacy settings on.
