The Monday brief · October 20, 2026
This week: 4 to pay attention to, 2 to keep an eye on and 1 you can relax about.
Mistlift checks what kids are into online and tells you which trends are real, which aren’t, and what to say. What deserves your attention this week, and what doesn’t.
Order: Worry first · Join in first
The first brief hasn’t gone out yet. This is what it would hold if it went out today.
Pay attention 4
Real harm, with what to do.
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Act
764 network
764 is a violent online network that, according to an FBI warning, poses as a friend or partner on games and social apps, then uses compromising material to pressure kids into hurting themselves.
This is organised predation, and the harm is the point.
Try saying
“Some people online pretend to be friends and then pressure kids into scary things. If anyone ever does that, or asks you to keep a secret from me, you can tell me right away. You won't be in trouble, and we'll deal with it together.”
If you’re worried If your child is in immediate danger or has hurt themselves, call 911. If they are thinking about suicide or self-harm, call or text 988. To report online sexual exploitation or sextortion, contact Cybertip.ca; to get intimate images removed, use NeedHelpNow.ca. Kids Help Phone is available to your child at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting 686868.
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Act
Bloody Friday rumour (Poland)
After two real school attacks in Poland, a rumour of a coordinated online challenge for a "Bloody Friday" spread and emptied schools; police found no evidence of any such challenge, but teens were still detained for posting threats, so joining in is the real risk.
The coordinated challenge appears to be a rumour: Polish police and government officials said they found no evidence linking the attacks to an online challenge or a organised operation.
Try saying
“I heard some scary messages about school attacks have been going around, and I figured a lot of people your age have seen them. Police say there's no sign it's an actual challenge, but if you ever see something that worries you, show me or a teacher instead of forwarding it. And even a joke about hurting people can get someone in real trouble, so check with me first if you're not sure.”
If you’re worried If a threat seems credible or someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Otherwise, tell the school and local police about any threat your teen sees, and keep a screenshot rather than forwarding it. If your teen already posted or shared a threat, talk with the school and consider getting legal advice. If your teen is frightened or anxious, Kids Help Phone is there at 1-800-668-6868 or by text at 686868. If anyone mentions hurting themselves or suicide, call or text 988.
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Act
School threats by teens
Recent Ontario police cases show teens making threats against schools, one of them in a youth group chat after an argument got heated; the threats may turn out to be empty, but kids who post or send them can be charged.
In these cases the threats were taken seriously by police even when no weapons were found, and at least one teen was charged.
Try saying
“I heard about some teens getting in serious trouble over things they typed in a group chat. Even as a joke, a threat about a school can bring police to the door. If you ever see something scary in a chat, tell me and I'll help you deal with it, and you won't be in trouble for telling.”
If you’re worried If there is an immediate danger at a school, call 911. For a threat that is not urgent, contact the school and your local police. If your teen is anxious, upset or struggling after seeing or sending a threat, Kids Help Phone is there at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting 686868. If anything touches on self-harm or suicide, call or text 988.
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Act
AI nude deepfakes of teens
Offenders and some peers use AI to fake sexual images of teens from ordinary photos, and offenders use them to extort money; Cybertip.ca and the IWF both report sharp increases.
A teen no longer has to send anything for this to happen: an ordinary profile photo can be turned into a fake sexual image, and the offender then threatens to share it unless the teen pays.
Try saying
“I read that people are using AI to make fake pictures of teens, and then threatening them to get money. If that ever happened to you, or to a friend, it would not be your fault, and I wouldn't be angry. I'd just want to help you deal with it, together.”
If you’re worried If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911. Report online sexual exploitation or sextortion, including AI-faked images, to Cybertip.ca. NeedHelpNow.ca helps get intimate images taken down. Kids Help Phone is there for your teen at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting 686868. Keep the messages as evidence and avoid paying.
Keep an eye on it 2
Real, but nuanced.
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Watch
Extreme TikTok experiments
Creators film themselves trying out viral TikTok stunts and hacks for laughs on YouTube, and the evidence so far is a single humour video, so the main thing to watch is kids copying a stunt without the safety a production team provides.
This is a light, comedic format, not a known danger, and we have only one example so far.
Try saying
“I saw there are videos where people test extreme TikTok stuff. Which ones have you watched, and what did you think? Some of it is funny, but a stunt can look a lot safer on screen than it is, so if you ever feel like trying one, tell me first and we'll look at it together.”
If you’re worried If someone is hurt or in danger, call 911 right away. If your child has swallowed or touched something harmful, call the Centre antipoison du Québec (1-800-463-5060) or your provincial poison centre. If your teen seems distressed, Kids Help Phone is available at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting 686868.
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Watch
Roblox account locking and player backlash
Creators say Roblox is locking some accounts and players are angry, and videos about a 'gift' for players could be bait for scams, though the details are not yet confirmed.
So far this is only creator videos with dramatic titles, so we can't say exactly what changed or who is affected.
Try saying
“I keep hearing Roblox is locking some accounts and that there's a gift going around. What have you heard? If anyone ever offers free stuff or wants your password to fix an account, show me first. You won't be in trouble, I'd just rather we check it together.”
Relax, it’s not real 1
Scares going round that don’t hold up.
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Debunked
School explosive device email hoax
A generic emailed bomb threat sent to hundreds of schools in the UK from outside the country has been treated by police as a hoax with low risk to the public, though some schools closed or sent kids home as a precaution.
Police say this was one identical, vague message sent in bulk from outside the country, and their checks found nothing.
Try saying
“Did you hear about those fake bomb emails sent to schools overseas? Police checked and say it was a hoax, so there's no reason to be scared. If you ever see a scary message like that, show it to me or a teacher instead of passing it on, okay?”
If you’re worried If there is ever an immediate danger at a school, call 911. If your child is anxious or frightened after news like this, Kids Help Phone is there at 1-800-668-6868, or text 686868.
New cards, every Monday.
The Mistlift brief sums up what kids are into online this week, rated from harmless to serious, with what to say.