Someone online is pressuring my child
You’re doing the right thing by acting now. Your child isn’t in trouble, and you don’t have to handle this alone.
Worried someone checks your phone? The Quick exit button (or the Esc key) leaves this page instantly. It doesn't erase your history, so you may want to clear it after.
First, right now
Don’t delete anything, and don’t confront them.
The messages help investigators. Confronting the person can make them disappear or delete evidence.- Stay calm and thank your child. Tell them they’re not in trouble and that you’re glad they told you, or that you found out. Kids who feel blamed often stop telling adults what’s happening.
- Don’t confront the person. Don’t reply, threaten or pretend to be your child. It can warn them and lead them to delete evidence or move to another app.
- Save the conversation, but not explicit images. Screenshot the messages, usernames and profile pages. If any sexual images of your child were sent, don’t save, copy or forward them. Report them instead. Keeping or sharing them can be illegal, even for a parent.
- Report it to the CyberTipline. Report to NCMEC at report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If your child is in danger or a meetup was planned, call 911 or your local police right away.
- Report and block in the app. After you’ve saved the evidence, report the account in the app or game, then block it.
- Get images taken down. If images of your child have been shared, Take It Down can help stop them from spreading. It works without uploading the images.
What to say to your child
Try: “You’re not in trouble. This person was trying to trick you, and that’s on them, not you. We’ll handle this together.” Then keep listening. If your child seems very upset, their doctor or school counselor can help.
Last checked November 11, 2026