Online blackmail against your child can be a parent’s worst nightmare. These tips from the NSPCC offer guidance on prevention and advice on what to do if the worst happens – helping families feel supported and informed.
Online blackmail is when someone threatens to share private or embarrassing things (like photos, videos or messages) unless the victim does what they say. This might mean sending more images, paying money or doing something else they’re told to do.
If your child is being blackmailed online:
- Don’t pay or negotiate as it often leads to more demands
- Don’t delete messages, instead, save all evidence (screenshots, usernames, timestamps)
- Report the incident to the app or website on which the demand was received, and to the police through the CEOP Safety Centre
- Support your child by encouraging them to understand and express their feelings
Reassure your child that you are there to help. If they are finding it hard to talk to you, another option is to encourage them to talk to a Childline Counsellor on the phone (0800 1111), through online chat or by email (www.childline.org.uk). If intimate images are involved, the Report Remove tool can help get them taken down.
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How many children are impacted by online blackmail?
Sadly, under 18s were the subject of around a quarter of all reported offences of online blackmail in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.1
Where gender was known, 68% of Childline sessions on sextortion – a form of online blackmail – were with boys, often involving financial blackmail.2 It was more common for girls to report that they were being pressured to send additional sexual images.
Many young people don’t speak up about online blackmail because they feel scared, ashamed or worried they’ll get in trouble. In 2023/24, the NSPCC Helpline received 31% more contacts from adults concerned about sextortion than in 2022/23.
How does online blackmail affect children?
Online blackmail can have a serious impact on a child’s mental health. They might feel ashamed, embarrassed, anxious, depressed or confused.
They may be afraid to talk to anyone. They may be worried or fearful about what might happen next. They may feel also alone and/or withdraw themselves from friends and family.
In some cases, young people reported self-blame and social isolation, while many children don’t speak up due to fear of getting in trouble, losing access to devices or being blamed.
The reaction of the first person they tell is crucial – supportive responses encourage further disclosure.
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How does online blackmail happen?
Blackmailers often use tricks to gain a child’s trust before turning on them. This can happen incredibly quickly; there are known cases where children were tricked into sending images within minutes of first contact.
Here’s how they do it:
Grooming online
Blackmailers could build a relationship with the child through social media, games or messaging apps. It could be through compliments and gifts in games, for example.
Fake profiles
Blackmailers might pretend to be someone else – like a friend, classmate, or influencer – by using stolen photos. The fake profiles could also have mutual friends with the child.
Hacking
Blackmailers could hack into accounts to steal private photos or videos.
AI-generated images (deepfakes)
Blackmailers could create fake but realistic-looking images using artificial intelligence. They can make it look like someone is in a photo or video, even if they never were.
Someone your child knows abuses their trust
Blackmailers could be someone the child knows – sometimes children share intimate images with someone they trust, like a boyfriend or girlfriend. Later, if that relationship breaks down, those images can be used to against them, or to embarrass them.
It’s easy to assume blackmailers are always strangers online, but young people report it’s often someone they know (e.g. friends, romantic partners) – a misunderstanding that can lead to missed warning signs.
Where does online blackmail happen?
Online blackmail can happen anywhere that children connect with others online.
This includes social media (such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok), games with online chat features, messaging apps and forums (such as WhatsApp and Discord) as well as live streaming platforms.
How can you help keep your child safe?
1. Start with open conversations
Talk early and often about online safety. Let your child know they can come to you without fear of getting in trouble – children want reassurance without blame.
Parents should respond calmly and kindly, making it clear the child is not at fault, and try to remember that emotional support should come before or alongside practical steps.
Children often worry about parents overreacting, so try to create a relaxed, safe space for discussion around:
- Why sharing images – even with someone they trust or as a private message – can be risky.
- How once something is shared online, it can be copied and spread.
- The importance of not sharing personal details like their full name, school, or location.
Sir Peter Wanless on bringing young people’s voices into the online safety conversation
Vodafone has been working with the NSPCC since 2023. In that time, the organisations have worked on everything from a phone safety toolkit to a safe gaming festival. We sat down with outgoing CEO, Sir Peter Wanless, to hear why including children’s voices has been so central to all of this.
2. Take practical safety steps
Help your child to take the following safety steps with their online accounts:
- Use the privacy settings in apps and games.
- Set strong, unique passwords (a password manager can help).
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA).
- Keep apps and devices updated so the latest safety settings are in place.
- Keep social media profiles private.
- Be cautious with friend requests – your child should check if the person is real and known to them.
- Never send intimate images or videos, even to someone your child trusts
3. Reach out for help if something goes wrong
Let your child know they can always come to you. Stay calm and supportive. Here’s what you can do together:
- Report it: Most platforms have tools to block and report users.
- Use CEOP: The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre is part of the National Crime Agency (NCA), which is a UK police body. You can also report incidents to your local police.
- Remove images: The Report Remove tool can help take down images and stop them from spreading.
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1 Statistics briefing: online harm and abuse, NSPCC Learning, October 2024.
2 Increase in number of ‘sextortion’ contacts received by Childline, NSPCC, September 2024.
