Grooming on Snapchat and Instagram
UK child-protection experts report that online grooming is getting quicker and easier on apps like Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, which makes it worth knowing the pattern and keeping the conversation open at home.
Should I worry?
Grooming is when an adult builds a relationship with a young person to gain their trust and later exploit them. Reports describe it moving fast: friendly contact, lots of attention, requests to keep things secret, a push to switch to a private app, then pressure or threats. Warning signs include a new online friend your child is protective about, secrecy around their phone, sudden mood changes, and gifts or credit they can't explain. Stay calm, keep their devices and privacy settings something you look at together, and make it clear that they will never be punished for telling you something happened. If something has already happened, save the messages, don't delete anything, and report it.
How to join in
Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok are where many teens talk to friends, share photos and meet people with shared interests, and most of that is ordinary and fun. Kids like them because they are quick, private-feeling and social. A good way in is to ask them to show you how they use the apps, who they follow and how they decide whether to accept a stranger's request. Talking about it as a normal part of online life makes it easier for them to come to you later.
Try saying
“I've been reading that some adults try to befriend kids online and then ask them to keep secrets. If anyone ever makes you feel uncomfortable or tells you not to tell me, I want to know, and you won't be in trouble. Nothing you tell me would change how I feel about you.”
If you’re worried
If your child is in immediate danger, call 911. To report online sexual exploitation or luring, contact Cybertip.ca. If intimate images have been shared, NeedHelpNow.ca can help get them removed. Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868, or text 686868) is there for your child any time. If your child talks about hurting themselves, call or text 988.
Sources
From Mistlift, mistlift.app. Plain talk about what kids are into online.