Have you noticed Kenyan teenagers are voluntarily leaving their homes and going into the hands of online predators?
The DCI earlier this year gave worrying statistics of Kenyan teenagers willingly meeting online predators and disappearing with them. He urged parents to monitor their teenagers and play an active role in their online activities.
Internet predators lure teenagers with promises of:
- Affection
- Purpose
- Pleasure
- Money
Unsuspiciously some teenagers give out personal information and leave their homes to be with the predators online.
Reports in Kenya show that most teenagers who meet with online predators are:
- Sexually assaulted
- Forced into the sex trade
- Coerced to take part in sex orgies
- Brainwashed to join radical religious groups or cults.
The good news is that you can prevent your teenager from falling victim to online predators. You can educate yourself by learning the ways internet predators target teenagers then enlighten your teenager with actionable steps.
Today we’ll explain to you three ways online predators target your teenager.
Table of Content
How Do Online Predators Find Their Victims?
Playing Video Games with Your Teenager
Following Your Teenager on Social Media Platforms
Chatting Your Teenager on Popular Teen Apps
How You Can Keep Your Teenager Safe Online
What is Involved In Online Predators Grooming Process?
What is the Average Age of the Predators Online?
What Are Some Online Predator Characteristics?
Let’s dive deep into it.
How Do Online Predators Find Their Victims?
Playing Video Games with Your Teenager
Predators on the net like using video games to lure teens. The online predator finds it easier to groom teenagers because they already have something in common—video games.
Online predators create fake profiles and present themselves as friendly adults or teenagers. They engage the minors until they find the most vulnerable ones. These internet predators use clever tactics to get the attention of a teenager like:
- Giving helpful gaming tips
- Providing them with gaming currency
- Being the admirable, perfect team player when playing in a group
Multiplayer games allow gamers to communicate through a web camera, chat rooms, and headsets. The internet predators take advantage of these features to nurture the relationship with your teenager.
Once they gain trust, they coerce your teenager to:
- Send sexually revealing images or videos.
- Believe that engaging in sexual acts is okay by showing them pornography
- Convince them to meet in person
Examples of video games the predators online use include: Roblox, Fortnite, Minecraft, Animal, and World of Warcraft. Here is a news report on how an online predator on Fortnite victimized 20 minors.
If it’s a religious group or cult, they gradually use radicalizing language, videos, and articles. They can also use threats if they’ve invested a lot and your teenager takes too long to convert.
Following Your Teenager on Social Media
Social media is the perfect channel for online predators to target teenagers. The ease for them to access a minor’s profiles, photos, and posts make it easy for predators on the net to identify teenagers who crave attention and popularity.
Online predators on social media start by creating a fake profile using an adult photo or, less often, pretend to be a teenager. The predator would then start commenting on your teenager’s photos then slowly graduate to sending direct messages.
Once they’ve gathered enough information and discovered your teenager’s weak point, they move to the next stage where they:
- Show romantic interests
- Express extreme flattery
- Promise gifts and financial gain
- Indoctrinate using inviting language
- Show them the love, care, and concern of a cult
- Support their ideas and interests and show they want to help
When they win your teen’s trust entirely, they may start asking for favors like sending nude photos, sexting, or plan a meeting.
University of Toledo study found that online predators on social media target teenagers who post attention-seeking and disturbing posts. The table below shows you online predators examples of the typical response they give to such posts.
| Teenager’s Post | Online Predators on Social Media Response |
| Nobody gets me | I understand you |
| I am sick of being single | I love you |
| I am so ugly | I think you’re beautiful, show me more of your body |
| My life sucks | I’ll make your life better |
| My parents don’t trust me | I encourage you to take a risk; you’re an adult |
| I need to get out of here | I’ll protect you; I’ll help you succeed |
Convincing! Right.
After reading the above responses, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that most reports reveal that more than half of the teenagers targeted by online predators on social media willingly engage in romantic relationships with the predators.
Watch the video below and see how easily these girls agreed to meet with a stranger they hardly knew.
These teenagers feel grown-up, important, and attractive when they receive attention from adult online predators. The teenager who willingly meets with an internet predator usually hides this information from their parents.
The four commonest social media used by the predators on the net are Instragam, Facebook, Twitter, and Whatsapp.
Chatting Your Teenager on Popular Teen Apps
Popular teen apps differ slightly from social media platforms like Facebook in that it’s like a big chat group with special features within it. Popular teens app favored by online predators can:
- Track location
- Exchange photos and videos
- Hide content
- Stream live videos
- Send and receive messages
According to PureSight, a child safety website, one in every five teenagers using popular teen apps has received a sexual solicitation message. 75% of teenagers give out their personal information once they strike a conversation with a friendly stranger on these apps.
Examples of popular teens app used by online predators include:
- Youtube
- Snapchat
- Tiktok
- Tumbler
- Kik
- Whisper
- Hot or Not
The predators on the net start the grooming process by following and commenting on almost everything your teenager posts. They then use manipulation, threats, and dominance to get what they want.
How You Can Keep Your Teenager Safe Online
You can’t prevent your teenager from accessing the internet as much as the online predators’ facts are worrying. You can effectively play an active role in teaching your teenager to use their online space wisely. Some helpful tips you need to keep reminding your teenager include:
- To keep personal information to themselves even when asked. They can leave blank some sections in the app that request personal information like their location.
- Inform you of the photos they put online. Advise them to avoid uploading revealing photos and explain why.
- To report to you anyone who wants to keep a conversation with them a secret. Explain to them the dangers and show them videos like the ones in this article.
- To tell you when someone suggests they meet in person. Report the individual to the social media or teens app section of reporting abuse.
It’s your role as a parent to connect with your teenager and keep your relationship active. We’ve seen online predators seek after teens who crave attention, are neglected, or lack supervision.
We should also pray for our teenagers that God would protect them even as they use online channels. You can’t control all the variables. When we pray, we confidently entrust them to a loving and sovereign God.
Get in touch with us for more information on how to talk to your teenager and the counseling options available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Involved In Online Predators Grooming Process?
It starts with friendship, where the online predator uses simple gestures to get the minor’s attention. The next stage is to form a relationship where they try to solve the minor’s problems. The online predator then assesses the risk of revealing his intent. He requests the minor to make the relationship exclusive. Finally, they start the sex talk and make other requests.
What is the Average Age of the Predators Online?
Online predators fall between the ages of 18–55yeras. However, you can find a few who’re younger or older than this age. They primarily target minors between the ages of 11–15, with the majority meeting them willingly.
What Are Some Online Predator Characteristics?
Internet predators are:
- Manipulative
- Create dependency
- Dominant
- Express jealousy
Jane Kariuki is a devout Christian, Clinician, Psychologist, and founder of ParenTeen Kenya. She authored an exceptional training manual used in her teens’ workshop and an instructional guidebook for her parenting classes. If she is not training, blogging, or counseling, Jane loves to spend time with her sweet husband and three children.
This is eye opening. Thanks Jane.
You’re welcome Peter, many more coming your way.
Quite informative article. Thanks Jane.
You’re welcome Jane, always glad to give you valuable information.
Educative article to teens and parents. Keep it up Jane.
Thank you Terry.
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