764 network
764 is a violent extremist network, treated as a terrorist entity in Canada, whose members approach kids and teens on gaming and chat apps, build trust, then use blackmail to push them toward harming themselves or others.
Should I worry?
The RCMP and the FBI both report that 764 targets children and teens, often girls, on gaming and chat platforms. The pattern is familiar: an attentive new online contact builds trust, asks to move the chat to a more private app, encourages secrecy, then gets images or content and uses them as leverage with threats. Warning signs include a new online friend your child won't talk about, sudden secrecy about screens, anxiety or distress after going online, withdrawal, or unexplained injuries. If you suspect contact, stay calm and don't blame your child, since they are the victim. Don't confront the other person, keep screenshots and account details as evidence, tell your child not to give in to demands, and report it to police and Cybertip.ca.
How to join in
This isn't a trend kids chase for fun. It's adults, often in their 20s, using the places kids already hang out, like game chats and servers, to find someone who wants attention or belonging. A good way in is to be curious about your child's online social life: who they chat with in games, whether anyone has ever asked to move to a private app, and whether anyone has made them uncomfortable. Keep it ordinary and ongoing, not a one-time interrogation.
Try saying
“I heard some adults online pretend to be friends with kids, then start pressuring them and threatening them. If anyone ever does that to you, or makes you feel stuck or scared, you can tell me, and you will never be in trouble for it. We'll sort it out together.”
If you’re worried
If your child is in immediate danger or at risk of self-harm, call 911. Report online sexual exploitation or blackmail to Cybertip.ca, and use NeedHelpNow.ca to help get intimate images removed. Kids Help Phone is available to your child at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting 686868. For anything touching self-harm or suicide, call or text 988. You can also contact your local police.
Sources
From Mistlift, mistlift.app. Plain talk about what kids are into online.