As students head back to school, the Somerset Police Department wants to remind parents that school safety doesn’t end at the school doors.
Our children are spending more time on social media, gaming platforms, Discord, and private messaging apps. While these can be great ways to connect, they can also create opportunities for predators, scammers, bullies, and other criminals.
From a law enforcement perspective, we encourage parents to know the risks and start the conversation before something happens.
KNOW WHAT YOUR CHILD IS USINGChildren can be contacted by people they don’t know, including individuals using fake profiles and pretending to be someone their age.
Remind your children that a profile picture, username, or mutual friend does not prove someone is who they claim to be.
Anything shared online can potentially be saved, copied, altered, or distributed—even when they believe it has disappeared.
KNOW WHO THEY’RE TALKING TOGaming platforms and apps such as Discord allow children to communicate with people they’ve never met in person.
Criminals can use these platforms to build relationships, gain trust, and gradually push conversations in inappropriate or dangerous directions.
Know the apps and games your child uses—and who they are talking to.
AI IS CHANGING THE THREATPhotos can be altered. Voices can be replicated. Images can be fabricated.
Talk to your children about never sending personal photographs, videos, or private information to people they don’t know and trust in real life.
WATCH FOR WARNING SIGNSBe suspicious of anyone online who asks for:
• Money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency
• Passwords or verification codes
• Personal information
• Private photos or videos
• Access to accounts
• Secrecy or immediate action
If someone says, “Don’t tell your parents,” that’s a major warning sign.
SEXTORTION: TAKE IT SERIOUSLYAn offender may manipulate or pressure a young person into sending an intimate photo or video, then threaten to share it unless the victim sends money, additional images, or follows other demands.
This can happen to any child.
If your child is being threatened:
DON’T BLAME THEM. DON’T SHAME THEM. DON’T PANIC.Be their safe place.
Save the messages and other evidence. Do not negotiate with the offender or send additional money or images. Contact law enforcement and report the account through the appropriate platform.
PARENTS: HAVE THE CONVERSATIONAsk your child:
Who are you talking to? What apps and games are you using? Who are your online friends? What information are you sharing? What would you do if someone made you uncomfortable or threatened you?Most importantly, make sure they know:
“If something happens online, you can come to me. You will not be in trouble for telling me.”
Watch the video accompanying this post and use it as a conversation starter with your children.As law enforcement officers, we see firsthand how quickly an online conversation can become a real-world problem.
Know the apps.
Know the risks.
Know who they’re talking to.
Keep the conversation going.For more information about this post, please contact our Police Social Worker Sidney Wesley at sidney.wesley@somersetpd.com.
Somerset Police Department
Working together to keep our children safe—both online and in our community
