Better Internet for Kids

In the case of “sextortion”, a word made up of sex and extortion, young people are enticed to perform sexual acts in front of their webcam, or to send compromising images. They are then threatened: if they don't pay the money demanded, or if they don't perform more intimate acts on camera, or if they don’t send more images, the swindler will broadcast the images and videos obtained on the internet. A cycle of harassment designed to obtain more and more from the victim is then set in motion, often culminating in the dissemination of the intimate content anyway.

• In recent years, webcam scams have become increasingly common. They affect a large number of people around the world. However, it's difficult to put a figure on the number of cases, as victims often don't come forward out of fear or shame, given the nature of the offence.  
• The victims are often boys who give themselves up easily, flattered by the attention they receive.
• The practice is punishable by law, as it constitutes blackmail and swindling.

Is your child a victim of sextortion? Here’s what you can do:  

• Try to talk calmly and openly with your child. Continue to support your child and offer a sympathetic ear and help.  
• Don't condemn your child. Someone else has behaved in a punishable way; your child is not guilty.
• Don't react to threats or give in to blackmail. Even if you pay, you have no guarantee that the images won’t be distributed. So never pay! Don't get angry if your child has already paid, they need your support.
• Gather all the evidence you can (such as pictures or discussions).  
• Search online, with your child, for the name or pseudonym used. If the images have been placed online anyway, you may find them this way. If you find them, you can report it to the website. You'll often find a link at the bottom or top of a site to “help”, “contact” or “abuse”. Indicate which images are involved, the age of your child and that no permission has been given to place this content online and that you want it removed.  
• Sextortion is a serious offence for which you can lodge a complaint with the police.  
• Report the profile on the social network and block the person on the social network in question. This will prevent the person from contacting your child.

Find more information about the work of the Belgian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.