#online predators on Roblox

[teamjamesoconnor]

🚨Parents, Read This Before Your Kid Logs Into Roblox: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Kids Safe in the Digital Playground

Roblox isn’t just a game—it’s a digital universe. But for all its creativity and fun, it’s also a hunting ground for online predators, cyberbullies, and inappropriate content. If your child plays Roblox, you need to be more than just aware—you need to be armed. In this ultimate guide, I’ll break down exactly how to keep your kids safe on Roblox with practical steps, eye-opening facts, and…

[shrinemaidenmajime]

!! Serious post !! ( continue reading for more information. )

As you've seen in another post by @lucius-official, the individual nope1661 "Big bear" has been harassing and grooming minors online, aswell as threatening to harm and dox them if they stated that they were uncomfortable with his behaviour. Today he made a new account and messaged a friend of mine @alexezcorner who has been harassed by this man for a year now, and doxxed them. His actions should be dealt with, so if you know this individual irl or online - please contact the proper authorities or let people you know be aware about him. Please repost this post if you come across it, stay safe.

[lucius-official]

ooc// Public Service Announcement (TW mentions of grooming):

I know this isn't my normal content but I'm posting this on behalf of people I know who have encountered this individual, and as a warning in general to anyone who may encounter this user. This individual- nope1661 -has harassed and groomed minors online, and has sent threats to those who state that they are uncomfortable with his behaviour. Will send explicit messages despite users stating they are underage. Reports have been made to roblox but his account is still up and running.

If you encounter this user or if you have the time to do so please report them, or reblog this post to spread the message [EDIT: Just please do not attempt to message him or send him any threats.] Thank you for reading.

[familythings]

How I managed to Remove Roblox from our Life - The Dangers of the Game and Tips for Parents

Let me say it from the beginning: I hate Roblox. The day we removed it from our lives was one of the most liberating moments for me. I wasn’t initially inclined to share our experience with Roblox, but after reading an article in Smart Parenting about how the game affects many children’s lives, I felt compelled to share our story and provide some insights about the game and what steps parents can…

[theonion]

After two weeks of posing as an underage girl online and exchanging messages with a suspected child predator, Detective Sgt. Gordon Aguero of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office told reporters Thursday he had fallen in love with the pedophile he was investigating as part of a sting operation.

Although he was assigned to the case in order to gather evidence against an alleged child abuser, Aguero, 54, admitted he was quickly beguiled by the charming man he contacted through the gaming platform Roblox while purporting to be a teenager named Zoey. The pedophile, identified only by the username Ken1965, reportedly wrote to the detective’s fake account several times a day and often remarked that his intended victim was special and looked pretty.

Full Story

[fight-nights-at-freddys]

idk how many of you are on tiktok/care about tiktok drama, but there’s someone on there by the name of Jax that’s being accused of being a pedo/rape apologist because he cosplayed as jimmy from mouthwashing, and liked a couple genshin characters.

There’s a whole doc about him (it's a public doc, so i don't feel bad sharing. and no, you're not missing anything, that's all the context anyone really has for this situation. it's so disjointed and messy).

this is all he said. this was the joke that's getting him called a rape apologist. the joke isn't even that rape's funny, the joke is that jimmy's a bad person. that's IT. everything about the pedo accusations under the cut bc there's A LOT.

so to start, for context, Jax is 20-21, mimi is 23, cat is 20, and the "minor interactions" happened 2 years ago.

i will quickly say, some of the things he did was bad, mmmkay? he probably shouldn't have had his underage brother cosplay as curly with what he said abt curly, but honestly, i have complicated opinions about that, too. he def shouldn't have been using a tiktok filter and asking what his underage brother would or wouldn't stick his dick in, and maybe he was weird towards a coworker, but i wasn't there so i don't really know, and yes, the roblox online dating comment was weird. there's stuff to criticize him on, don't get me wrong, but he's not a pedo or rape apologist.

so! a lot of the pedo accusations comes from

him saying he was going to "wife [mimi's] pfp" (a pic of vash tristamp),

thirsting over/shipping himself with a few "underage" genshin characters (gorou, itto, and chongyun),

shipping two "underage" genshin characters together and calling them lesbians (qiqi and yaoyao)

post "mpreg kink content" on main "to his minor followers/mutuals",

posting "inappropriate content" on main "to his minor followers"

this is the gist of it, but there's a few more pics of the same kinda stuff in the doc. point is, none of this matters, or makes you a pedo, or a predator, or ANYTHING.

and that "inappropriate content" he posts on main? it's just him in a bra, or wearing what some may consider revealing clothing. but imo, at the end of the day, it's not that serious. i wouldn't criticize someone in public for wearing this stuff, so why do i care if it's on tiktok.

i also can't help but think that if he were a skinny, conventionally attractive guy, no one would comment on his body like this. don't even get me started on people they/them-ing him or calling him 'it', when his pronouns are made VERY CLEAR.

i am just. so pissed off at this stuff. misusing these words, and downplaying the seriousness of them, as well as hurling false accusations at someone who literally did nothing to deserve them does nothing but hurt everyone. and frankly. shame on both cat and mimi for calling him a pedo/creep/rape apologist.

i hate it here.

[homura-simpson]

I don't like making a post like this, on a blog like this but it's important. Especially since there's a lot of minors on this website and in the communities Shep/Wes is in.

Shep/Wes is a dangerous child predator. The Fbi has been contacted about him and the victims that were reached out too, are also pressing charges. I don't know if he's in the graphics community. But if someone with the url plumstarfellvt reblogs anything from you. Block him on site. Tell your friends to do the same. He is also trying to be a vtuber though atm he is a pngtuber

Other urls when it comes to him to look out for are

Cawf33cak3s/CawfeeCakes

Shep is in a lot of fanbases but his most notable ones are:

Camp Camp

Snaccpop Studios

Homestuck/Hiveswap

Hyperphallic (it's where he got the name Wesley from)

Monster Prom

The Arcana

DC comics

Gravity falls

Pressure (Roblox).

Dandy's world

Murder Drones

Vocaloid

BNHA/MHA

Digital Circus

Vtuber/vtubing communities in general

Magical girl shows in general

Baldur's gate

Spiderverse/Marvel

FNAF

Undertale/Deltarune

Indigo parks

Hazbin hotel/Helluva boss

Minecraft/Roblox stuff in general

Bungou Stray Dogs

Musical related fanbases

Mass Effect

Visual novels related fanbases

Stardew Valley

Self shipping communities

DO NOT ENGAGE WITH HIM! BLOCK, MOVE ON, AND TELL S FRIEND! DO NOT GIVE HIM AMO TO MARTYR HIMSELF WITH AND HIDE BEHIND! YOU ARE NOT "A PEDO HUNTER" OR AN ONLINE VIGILANTE! THIS GOES DOUBLE IF YOU'RE A MINOR!!

At the end of the day this is out of anyone's hands but law enforcement!! The best you can do now is spread awareness. The more eyes on Shep the better, and the less chances for him to find victims, both minor/and adult!

This goes way beyond petty internet drama or your bog standard callout! I hate even using the word callout for what this is and how dangerous this situation is.

Here are other post on Shep I also highly encourage reblogging!

1

2

3

4

Please stay safe, take care of yourself, and keep informed!

[vicetrevni]

I recently justgot TikTok back on my phone, and I swear to fuck I saw the most mind-boggling bullshit of a comment that I have ever come across.

So I'm going to rant about it here, because my phone sucks ass and TikTok constantly crashes on me every time I try to post anything on there (plus here on Tumblr I can swear as I damn well please and OH am I pissed).

It was a video about censorship and kids being in adult spaces (things legally labeled for an 18+ audience). Saying that we, as adults, have the 'responsibility' to keep these spaces 'clean' for the kiddos rather than just outright kicking out the little fuckers or ignore them if they're being quiet.

But that wasn't what made me the most angry.

No, it gets worse.

This same person then commented 'well we should keep all adults away from kids stuff like Roblox and all that too' and I just lost my goddman mind over this.

Like how? Can someone just?? Be this ignorant and stupid???

Even if an adult joins Roblox of their own volition (like I did last year), it doesn't mean we're suddenly gonna all be predators or some other bullshit because there's kids involved or the game/service is rated 'E' for everyone.

In all honesty, I just wanna play the games and mind my own business - I don't even use the chat function at all, simply because I don't want to talk with minors in any way (or really any other players) while I'm trying to relax and play Dandy's World or do some silly 'wheat harvest' game to pass the time.

And what about those who grow up with Roblox? Do they suddenly just get their accounts deleted once they're 18+?

Because that sounds so fucking stupid to me, just imagine how far that could really go if it was implemented and no one would be happy with it.

Now, I get a tiny part of it. There are real predators out there using these services/games to target real children. And some stuff on Roblox should not be on there, or at least be HEAVILY 'censored' (i.e. blocked) so no accounts under 18+ will get access to them so easily. Because nasty people will exist, and kids will always be curious/naive enough to go snooping.

But here's the thing.

These services themselves to need to be more monitored, I agree. But if people are going to have the 'morality debate' over this, we should be wary of what censorship can/will do if the government gets their grubby fingers into it.

I remember hearing someone say that 'these things should not be censored but instead berated and demonized like any other bad thing that exists in the world'. Because, if we forget, things like CP and all that are already illegal. And 99% of the time, we can either report it when we see it or look away.

It's not 'moral' to think that by simply censoring what we don't like will lead to a more 'pure' world. It is just fascism, pure and simple. And giving that power to the elite only means THEY can do all that nasty stuff while saying we are the 'problem'. Literally what Hitler did during WW2, and we all should remember how bad it was for everyone involved at the time.

Just remember, ask why the person wants 'censorship' and explain to them why it's truly bad compared to knowing these things exist. Because hiding it away won't make it disappear. We just become blind to it, and that is what THEY want.

...also, we were all kids once. It's nothing new, to see kids sneaking around looking at porn or other gross stuff they may not be ready for. The best we can do is help these kids once they're ready for that talk, and for their damn parents to actually give a shit enough to monitor their online activity instead of blaming other people for whatever their kid sees/does.

If these kids see nasty stuff, cool. We all saw it too, it doesn't make them special if they suddenly say 'ew gross' and then complain about it. They're only hurting the communities they infest, even moreso now that a lot of them are spouting Purity Culture as if they'll suddenly be 'superior' to the rest of us for 'speaking out' against the cringe every single fandom that exists has.

But even if I hate how it's going, I still wouldn't censor any of it. If I truly find something outright illegal, I report it and move on. And that's it.

I don't like it? I'll just scroll/block.

[pissgod-639]

THE URGE TO PUKE ALL MY INTERESTS RN

Games: Buckshot Roulette, Roblox (Buckshot Showdown, Westbound, Daybreak 2, In Plain Sight 2, Guts and Blackpowder, Untitled Boxing Game, A Stereotypical Obby/Repleh Archives, Specter 2, Tower Defense Simulator), Outlast, Boyfriend to Death, Fear & Hunger, Until Dawn, Price of Flesh, Transformice, Persona 4 & 5, Honkai Star Rail, Genshin Impact, Resident Evil, Class of '09, Detroit: Become Human, Minecraft, Animal Jam, Epic Seven, D4DJ, Fortnite, Guilty Gear Strive, Rainbow Six Seige, Overwatch, Team Fortress 2, Skullgirls, Somnium, Muse Dash, Dragon Raja, Up All Night, Red Dead Redemption, Five Nights at Freddy's, Doki Doki Literature Club, Fatal Frame, Blasphemous, Hylics, Needy Streamer Overload, Ace Attorney, Danganronpa

Reads: I'm Dating a Psychopath by Nosleeparewe; Daybreak by Moosopp; Clinic of Horrors by Merryweather; Winter Moon by Merryweather; Your Wings and Mine by Hakeism; Deathsitter by Puppetology; Ghost Lights by Fantakoi; Uriah by Toffuo; Welfare Center by NANA; Stagtown by Punko; @CRC_Luna's Conspiracy Research Club, The Predator by Shin Heebin/Chi Chi; Happy Sugar Life, Killing Stalking, Black Mirror, My Dearest Self with Malice Aforethought, Takopii's Original Sin, Blue Lock, Chainsaw Man, Goodnight Punpun, Chobits, Lady K and the Sick Man, Tokyo Revengers, Berserk, All Quiet on the Western Front, Prairie Fire

Watches: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, Girl from Nowhere, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Monster, Death Note, The Walking Dead, All Quiet on the Western Front, Kakegurui, Madoka Magica, Violet Evergarden, Expelled from Paradise, All of Us are Dead, Japan Sinks 2020, Pretty Cure, Glitter Force, Words Bubble Up like Soda Pop, Voltron, Gun Gale Online, Squid Game, Hunterxhunter, My Little Pony, Carole & Tuesday, Petscop, Ena, Mandela Catalogue, Gemini Home Entertainment, Children Under the House, A Quiet Place, FNAF VHS, Bambi, Frozen, Mulan

Content Creators: Markiplier, Jerma985, Nexpo, Kubz Scouts, Jack Stauber, Joel G, Quackity, Prykations, Kkelsey_spring, grayworms, breakingthepage, ashiiu, pyro.cri, m.emityy, nyoomian, rabbits.foots, munkaei, ccoffeeplz, nikoco_11, dotswappu, keo_chooo_, Antlergrave, Jumi_bits, plastic_pots.png, pocaarii, demaymayart, hagushka, lesmestiar, Nosleeparewe, Jin_jing93, aki.strike, Caseoh

Music: Mitski, Lorde, Tv Girl, Cocteau Twins, Mother Mother, Machine Girl, Grimes, Poppy, Cigarettes After Sex, Matt Maltese, Radiohead, Dazey and the Scouts, Roar, Mars Argo, Current Joys, Violent Vira

Other: Methods of execution/torture, Marine Biology, Forensic Science, Arctic Biomes, True Crime, US History, Germany, Game lore, Making lore from games, Frutiger Aero, Survival preparation, Military, Sharks, Cowboys, Gore, Flawed characters, Niche characters/games, Making art for communities, Biblical themes, Gods, Paranormal

Characters: Finley Marai (DB2), Dakari Bowens (DB2), Ren Hana (BTD), Lawrence Oleander (BTD), Strade (BTD), Finn Lewis (IDAP), Scott (IDAP), Meowscles (FN), Jing Yuan (HSR), Blade (HSR), SUNDAY (HSR), Nanook (HSR), Fuli (HSR), Yaoshi (HSR), Columbina (GI), Scaramouche/Wanderer (GI), Beam (CSM), Ironclad (IPS2), Payday (IPS2), Subzero (IPS2), Tony (IPS2), Chris (UD), Sam (UD), Mike (UD), Carlos Oliveira (RE3), Chris Redfield (RE), Miles Upshur (OL), Waylon Park (OL:WB), Marina (F&H:T), Ragnvaldr (F&H), Cahara (F&H), Pocketcat (F&H), Crow Mauler (F&H), Oh Sangwoo (KS), Yang Seungbae (KS), Yoon Bum (KS), Aiko (GNPP), Bandit (R6S), Cole Cassidy (OW), D.Va (OW), Luluca (E7), Pavel (E7), May (GGS), Faust (GGS), Millia (GGS), Ramlethal (GGS), Happy Chaos (GGS), Bridget (GGS), Johnny (GGS), Dizzy (GG), Akira/Ren (P5), Futaba/Oracle (P5), Ryuji/Skull (P5), Yu (P4), Yosuke (P4), Nagi (BL), Kaiser (BL), Foxy (FNAF), Luna (MLP), John D. Rockefeller, George Washington, Nick Torres (UAN) and more

My Characters: Leonore Dietrich, Yumi/Charlie, August Derrick, Wolf Dietrich, Osprey Davis, Griffin Dietrich, Célestine Albine, Hunter, Leandro Cillian Otto Constantine of Eden, Arlette, Bailey, Devon, Neo, Tai, Astro/a, Zadkiel, Sparky, Skinner, Adam

[gothic-levi-arts]

Drawing of the personas with a long info dump of these personas cuz I’m bored need something to yap about and be original

So for context on who the personas are, here’s a kinda in depth info dump about these personas.

So the personas are basically me but in different slices of my personality and mental health. (My autism brain thought of this as a way to express my emotions and personality into different persons and try and make a whole series of these wet cats) Most of these personas go by they/them, he/him, or just it. (exception being nostalgia persona which will be covered in future posts)

so the persona in the first pic and from the album cover from a previous post is a representation of my intrusive thoughts and chaotic behavior. (I got inspo of the song To Catch a Predator >:) ). This persona has clown makeup because I thought it would be a goofy touch up as they are a chaotic mess. Online or in person.

Second. The persona with the hair horns are a representation of my self destructive thoughts and tendencies. Also manifests my gender dysphoria as they are made fem looking. Not much is known as they are still in making.

Last one for this post. The eyepatch persona with a bun. Supposed to represent masking or deception. So basically, they are always acting like someone they aren’t. They have their eyes closed as a representation of their masking. (Their eyes opened will be drawn sooner or later, just wait my moots.) SADLY A BORING DESIGN AS THEY ARE JUST FROM MY DAM ROBLOX AVATAR 😭

That’s all for today. Any questions, ask in the comments or my personal inbox. I will love to answer any questions ^^

[davekat-sucks]

I played forsaken and it was the most boring thing ever, honestly roblox in its entirety is boring nowadays, I only play the hangout games nowadays to meet newer people especially the 17+ ones but even those are starting to get boring too, The user base is kinda concerning there Its half of people who are edaters, people who have come from the sludges of imvu/second life (especially those wannabe gangsters, who are also infesting recroom and vr chat) very few normal people, and people who want to anger others around. I never got the point of playing roblox nowadays aside from voice chat, And for some reason the people 17+ just have never touched a single video game in their lives or have not been around the internet enough, I know probably because it has a poorer userbase but in the same time, ITs just weird. I am willing to quit roblox once I find other places to meet new people, I really don't wanna meet more imvu/second life nor kids in places like vrchat and recroom

All I wanted was friends who are terminally online as this blog and as fandom internet as a whole and thats it, Thats all I wanna meet and none of those exist in roblox at all and those who are kids, and I wanna meet one, I Wanna meet someone on roblox or online who's old and goes like "Hey I know what pizza tower is" that type of thing

I don't know, Roblox sucks and the people there are mean

This is generation of iPad babies and kids that Internet access is loose because parents are too lazy/tired to try and watch what they are doing, making pedophiles and predators easy to target and manipulate them. It's a vicious cycle as the people in charge for things like Roblox and VR Chat had barely done much to stop it from happening. There is some effort every now and then like ID authentication, but loopholes would be found later to bypass it. I do hope though you can find good friends online. As long as you aware of what kinds of people to avoid and never giving out personal information.

[xxjamiedarlingxx]

Ok just another rant about Roblox- don’t read this if you don’t want to hear about :/

So ok I was playing on Gacha online again and I was afk so when i came back, my friends was bullied by random person so I told them to back off apparently they didn’t like the fact they were shipping fictional characters which is dumb, because like it’s fictional they not real and they been making fun of them, so I told them to back off obviously but they just didn’t then started saying I’m just a little stupid kid but I’m adult, so I told him that I’m adult…guess what he said to that…he said that I’m adult playing with minors which is true but the way he was saying it…he was saying it like I was being a predator! Like wth not all my friends are minors and two we just friends nothing more! That like in the dsmp, tommyinnit was a minor but he was friends with adults and people his age and he was just friends with them nothing more! I blocked and reported them of course for harassment, bullying and false accusations!

[yourfavouritemotherlyanti]

No I will not come off anon as you strike me as a dangerous individual who wants to cause misery to people - You preach internet safety so I am doing that. But its like, even if we are taking this whole anti thing seriously There are people who are actually predators within communities. Have you heard of radqueer? Those are people who actually are proudly attracted to kids on tumblr, wouldn't it be more productive focus some of this energy on that? A drawing of andy and leyley looking at each other surely isn't gonna destroy societies... I wanna help people, I wanna make it so that people are safer I'm sure you do too, but I don't think this is helping

You say you want "Safer" coping mechanisms, what are they?

You're sorta contradicting yourself, saying that I want to protect the safety of vunerbale innocent individuals on the internet(which I do, do not get me wrong), yet at the same time...accuse me of being a dangerous individual who wants to cause pain and suffering for what reason exactly?? Please explain lmao, oh wait you can't because you're just asking up lies about me like all the other chronically online adult porn addicts who cried on their social media platforms that I was some sort of menace or whatever which is another story foe a different day but anyways-!!Btw I am against radqueers which you should already know by now atleast lmao. Anyways, I'm gonna go play on Roblox now, toodles<3!! Stop trying to normalize subtle incest dogwhistles and please understand why minors in fandom are uncomfortable with you atleast...please understand for the love of God lmao.

[mariacallous]

A recent advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned of the risks of social media usage for youth’s mental health—including sleep deprivation, depression and anxiety. The data that led to this warning comes largely from research linking social media use to outcomes in adolescence. While this is an important and welcome step toward regulating social media, the report also exposes a gap in the literature. Though the data are scant, children under the age of 10 are also actively using social media platforms. They too are engaged in a large natural experiment with relatively unknown consequences.

Young children on social media

According to a 2021 report conducted by Common Sense Media, nearly 40% of children between the ages of 8 and 12 in the United States use traditional social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook. Because the average child in the U.S. has a smartphone by age 10, it is not surprising that children in primary school are already experimenting with social media content. A survey carried out by the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital reports that even children as young as 7 are  themselves in social media apps. Similar data has been reported in surveys across Europe. Less studied still are use patterns of children in the Global South, where 1 in 3 children (ages 3 to 17) are thought to be connected to the internet. Whether they are accessing social media sites or just playing games online is largely unknown.

Knowing how much time children of different ages are spending on these apps is crucial to understanding its impact for children across the globe. To date, research on this issue is also limited. The Common Sense Media report revealed that nearly 1 in 5 (18%) children in the U.S., ages 8-12, say they use social media “every day.” It also found that on average, 8- to 12-year-olds use about five and a half hours of screen media per day, though it’s unclear how much of that time is spent on social media and how much of this is weighted towards younger or older children in this age range. Indeed, research in this area should use smaller age bands as is the practice in the rest of developmental psychology to truly reflect the state of social media use. Eight-year-olds are very different learners and users than are students who are entering puberty. The existing evidence—even with its limits—strongly emphasizes the need to broaden the conversation and address the impact of social media on the world’s youngest users.

Virtual world platforms like Roblox and Minecraft, increasingly popular among early-elementary school children, have chat features that can expose young children to strong language, bullying, hate speech, and even predators. Roblox reports that 25% of its 202 million users are under the age of 9. While a combination of parental controls, content moderators, and language filters (which are more strict for children 13 and under) are in place, these companies have not reported whether these social media features are being used by younger children.

The bottom line is that young children around the world are exposed to and are using social media well before adolescence and this number is growing. The challenge, as always, is in maximizing opportunities for education and connection while minimizing harm and this is especially important for younger children.

Next steps

Research on the influence of social media on children 10 and under is urgently needed to shed light on the potential benefits and detriments and to shape policy in the U.S., Europe, and the Global South. The research should explore factors such as screen time, content consumption, the potential positive and negative impacts of social media use for this age range and, importantly, how early social media use factors into habits for later social media use across geographic contexts and across cultures. It must also be sensitive to the fact that impacts on younger children who are navigating their prowess as learners and as partners in social friendships might be very different than they are for adolescents who are working to secure their identity.

As the BBC noted in a recent article, the use of social media by children in primary school reflects the old adage: Kids are getting older younger (KGOY). Because, young children are increasingly finding ways to access technology, research-backed evidence must provide the backdrop for our policies.

Yes, the U.S. surgeon general’s report was an important first step in exploring the dangers of social media, especially for teenagers in the Global North where the research is currently focused. It is time to acknowledge, however, that social media use is not merely a problem for teens, but might also be problematic for young children who are just forming their digital habits. Until more research is available particularaly for younger children (under 10), nations might consider putting regulations in place that take a preventive approach as they are doing in Europe with their EU Policies to promote children’s online safety and well being, an approach manifest in their 2023 white paper. As in the literature on artificial intelligence, when we know so little about the consequence of a digital space, regulation that limits social media exposure for young children would be a valuable addition to the surgeon general’s recommendations.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

As if parents of teens didn’t have enough to worry about when it comes to their kids’ safety, there is now the online network known as “764.” The predatory network targets teens and has become the subject of more than 250 FBI investigations that are being tackled by every. single. one. of the Bureau’s offices nationwide. It’s a staggering number with a staggering scope, and there is a whole lot that parents need to know about this scary network of predators. What is 764? According to ABC News, 764 is a loose network of violent predators who seek out and befriend t(w)eens online and then coerce them into sexual and violent behavior. There have been instances of coercing victims into creating graphic child pornography, harming family pets, cutting themselves, or even dying by suicide. Authorities say some 764 members even host “watch parties” to watch teen victims being coerced live, and/or they share the disturbing content with other members. Related story Please Stop Telling Me My Kid is Going to Hate Me When He's a Teen “We see a lot of bad things, but this is one of the most disturbing things we’re seeing,” said FBI Assistant Director David Scott, the head of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. Yes, the Counterterrorism Division plus the Justice Department’s National Security Division are now handling many of the investigations tied to 764 and its offshoots or subgroups. They have characterized the top predators as “nihilistic violent extremists” and say the more “gore” and violence these predators are able to get out of teens, the higher their “stature” is within 764. “So it’s sort of a badge of honor within some of these groups to actually do the most harm to victims,” Scott said. He described some of the main goals of 764 to “sow chaos” and “bring down society.” All by preying on teens. How Are Teens Being Extorted? In many cases, members of 764 are extorting or “sextorting” their victims. They are not necessarily looking for money, but for more content. Just one explicit picture can be enough to blackmail a vulnerable teenager into sending more. Victims may even experience “swatting.” This is when false reports of crimes are called in to induce SWAT teams to go to the victim’s house. Just the threat of that scary experience might convince teens to continue to comply with their abuser. And if you’ve made it this far, you won’t be surprised by the horrifying truth of the perhaps fatal ramifications for teens who try to get out of this cycle. An Arkansas man was arrested for plotting to murder a 14-year-old girl who started resisting his demands. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to said conspiracy and child pornography charges, saying he thought his intended crime would raise his status within 764. Who is Being Impacted by 764? Anyone. The FBI has seen some victims as young as 9 years old, there could be thousands of victims worldwide, and there is no reason to think members of 764 are only targeting one demographic or sex. In fact, as of 2023, most victims of sextortion (related to 764 or otherwise) are boys between the ages of 14 and 17. “The FBI has seen a horrific increase in reports of financial sextortion schemes targeting minor boys — and the fact is that the many victims who are afraid to come forward are not even included in those numbers,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the time. In June 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) found that the primary platforms where teens were being targeted were Instagram and Snapchat. And if you are thinking, “Well, my teen would never get in a situation like this,” that is exactly what the Connecticut mom of a teen victim of 764 thought. And yet, the former honor roll student was arrested for conspiring with a 764 member — who she met on the gaming platform Roblox — to direct bomb threats in her town. When police searched her devices, they also found pornographic photos of herself, photos of self-mutilation, and images of her “paying homage” to the online network. “It was very difficult to process, because we didn’t raise her to engage in that kind of activity,” the victim’s mom told ABC News. What Can Parents Do To Protect Their Kids From 764? Everyone can play a role while the FBI works to close these ongoing investigations. “We need the help of parents, teachers, and others who may become aware that a child is in danger,” Jim Marshall, FBI Miami Public Information Officer, said in a statement, per CBS 12 News. Authorities encourage parents to watch for changes in their teens’ activities or personality, be on the lookout for kids wearing long-sleeved clothing on hot days, which could be a sign of covering up self-harm, and check for strange injuries to family pets. In a previous statement about sextortion, Dave Frattare, Commander of the ICAC Task Force of the Cuyahoga County Ohio Prosecutor’s Office in Cleveland, has urged parents not to let kids go to bed or be behind closed doors with their phones. Especially not at night, when he says these crimes are most common. “I also urge parents to have a conversation with their kids. Say, ‘Do not ever send naked pictures to anybody,” Frattare continued. “But if you do get caught up in something like this, come to me no matter what time of day or night it is, and I will help you. We will get through it together.'” Just last year, Teresa Huizar, CEO of National Children’s Alliance, told SheKnows that “continually” talking to teens about being safe online is “the most important thing.” “Kids and teenagers need to know just how good people can be at pretending to be someone they are not. Pictures, social media profiles, voice messages — these can all be falsified,” Huizar said. “Adolescents also need to understand that any image or video sent on the internet, even if it’s through private messages or locked accounts, can be made public and distributed. “The adage still stands: If you don’t want your grandma to see it, don’t send it, text it, or post it,” she continued. “Lastly, make sure your kids know that if they have sent or received explicit images or someone is trying to harm them, they can open up to you without fear of punishment or judgment, even if they’ve broken a rule that you’ve set for their social media use.” Huizar explained that many victims of sextortion struggle with feelings of shame that stop them from seeking help. It’s a heartbreaking reality that predators are quite aware of. “Ending the shame-secrecy cycle is critical to exposing and stopping people who want to harm children,” she said. Families impacted by 764 can contact local authorities, the FBI, or, as Huizar says, there are hundreds of Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country that provide a safe environment for children and teens to get help. Just check the National Children’s Alliance’s website to find the center closest to you.  Before you go, check out recent under-the-radar recalls that could impact your teen. Source link

[norajworld]

As if parents of teens didn’t have enough to worry about when it comes to their kids’ safety, there is now the online network known as “764.” The predatory network targets teens and has become the subject of more than 250 FBI investigations that are being tackled by every. single. one. of the Bureau’s offices nationwide. It’s a staggering number with a staggering scope, and there is a whole lot that parents need to know about this scary network of predators. What is 764? According to ABC News, 764 is a loose network of violent predators who seek out and befriend t(w)eens online and then coerce them into sexual and violent behavior. There have been instances of coercing victims into creating graphic child pornography, harming family pets, cutting themselves, or even dying by suicide. Authorities say some 764 members even host “watch parties” to watch teen victims being coerced live, and/or they share the disturbing content with other members. Related story Please Stop Telling Me My Kid is Going to Hate Me When He's a Teen “We see a lot of bad things, but this is one of the most disturbing things we’re seeing,” said FBI Assistant Director David Scott, the head of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. Yes, the Counterterrorism Division plus the Justice Department’s National Security Division are now handling many of the investigations tied to 764 and its offshoots or subgroups. They have characterized the top predators as “nihilistic violent extremists” and say the more “gore” and violence these predators are able to get out of teens, the higher their “stature” is within 764. “So it’s sort of a badge of honor within some of these groups to actually do the most harm to victims,” Scott said. He described some of the main goals of 764 to “sow chaos” and “bring down society.” All by preying on teens. How Are Teens Being Extorted? In many cases, members of 764 are extorting or “sextorting” their victims. They are not necessarily looking for money, but for more content. Just one explicit picture can be enough to blackmail a vulnerable teenager into sending more. Victims may even experience “swatting.” This is when false reports of crimes are called in to induce SWAT teams to go to the victim’s house. Just the threat of that scary experience might convince teens to continue to comply with their abuser. And if you’ve made it this far, you won’t be surprised by the horrifying truth of the perhaps fatal ramifications for teens who try to get out of this cycle. An Arkansas man was arrested for plotting to murder a 14-year-old girl who started resisting his demands. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to said conspiracy and child pornography charges, saying he thought his intended crime would raise his status within 764. Who is Being Impacted by 764? Anyone. The FBI has seen some victims as young as 9 years old, there could be thousands of victims worldwide, and there is no reason to think members of 764 are only targeting one demographic or sex. In fact, as of 2023, most victims of sextortion (related to 764 or otherwise) are boys between the ages of 14 and 17. “The FBI has seen a horrific increase in reports of financial sextortion schemes targeting minor boys — and the fact is that the many victims who are afraid to come forward are not even included in those numbers,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said at the time. In June 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) found that the primary platforms where teens were being targeted were Instagram and Snapchat. And if you are thinking, “Well, my teen would never get in a situation like this,” that is exactly what the Connecticut mom of a teen victim of 764 thought. And yet, the former honor roll student was arrested for conspiring with a 764 member — who she met on the gaming platform Roblox — to direct bomb threats in her town. When police searched her devices, they also found pornographic photos of herself, photos of self-mutilation, and images of her “paying homage” to the online network. “It was very difficult to process, because we didn’t raise her to engage in that kind of activity,” the victim’s mom told ABC News. What Can Parents Do To Protect Their Kids From 764? Everyone can play a role while the FBI works to close these ongoing investigations. “We need the help of parents, teachers, and others who may become aware that a child is in danger,” Jim Marshall, FBI Miami Public Information Officer, said in a statement, per CBS 12 News. Authorities encourage parents to watch for changes in their teens’ activities or personality, be on the lookout for kids wearing long-sleeved clothing on hot days, which could be a sign of covering up self-harm, and check for strange injuries to family pets. In a previous statement about sextortion, Dave Frattare, Commander of the ICAC Task Force of the Cuyahoga County Ohio Prosecutor’s Office in Cleveland, has urged parents not to let kids go to bed or be behind closed doors with their phones. Especially not at night, when he says these crimes are most common. “I also urge parents to have a conversation with their kids. Say, ‘Do not ever send naked pictures to anybody,” Frattare continued. “But if you do get caught up in something like this, come to me no matter what time of day or night it is, and I will help you. We will get through it together.'” Just last year, Teresa Huizar, CEO of National Children’s Alliance, told SheKnows that “continually” talking to teens about being safe online is “the most important thing.” “Kids and teenagers need to know just how good people can be at pretending to be someone they are not. Pictures, social media profiles, voice messages — these can all be falsified,” Huizar said. “Adolescents also need to understand that any image or video sent on the internet, even if it’s through private messages or locked accounts, can be made public and distributed. “The adage still stands: If you don’t want your grandma to see it, don’t send it, text it, or post it,” she continued. “Lastly, make sure your kids know that if they have sent or received explicit images or someone is trying to harm them, they can open up to you without fear of punishment or judgment, even if they’ve broken a rule that you’ve set for their social media use.” Huizar explained that many victims of sextortion struggle with feelings of shame that stop them from seeking help. It’s a heartbreaking reality that predators are quite aware of. “Ending the shame-secrecy cycle is critical to exposing and stopping people who want to harm children,” she said. Families impacted by 764 can contact local authorities, the FBI, or, as Huizar says, there are hundreds of Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country that provide a safe environment for children and teens to get help. Just check the National Children’s Alliance’s website to find the center closest to you.  Before you go, check out recent under-the-radar recalls that could impact your teen. Source link