Grooming and social media: when the internet stops being a safe space

Social media, online games and various digital platforms are part of the daily lives of children and adolescents. They can be spaces for having fun, making friends and communicating, but there are also people who take advantage of these media to approach minors with other intentions. Grooming is one of the most worrying situations that can arise on the internet, and an investigation in Villa María, Córdoba, has brought the issue back into discussion.

What is grooming?

UNICEF defines grooming as a situation in which an adult sexually harasses a child or adolescent through the use of digital platforms. In these cases, the harasser usually lies about their identity in order to build a bond of friendship and trust with the minor. The goal is to ask them for something intimate, whether a photo or a video. Once they obtain it, they usually extort the minor, threatening to spread that material if the minor does not agree to send more photos and videos or to meet in person. UNICEF strongly emphasizes that grooming is not the prelude to a crime or to abuse, but rather a form of abuse in itself and a crime punishable under Argentine law. Even if the in-person meeting never takes place, the adult’s manipulation of the minor constitutes child abuse.

The Villa María case

A former legislative adviser from Villa María, Córdoba, is being investigated over the abuse and grooming network in that city. The former official faces new charges for producing and possessing child sexual abuse material, including material involving a girl from his own family circle. The accused was the subject of a 2020 complaint filed by his stepsister and, based on newly collected evidence, it is estimated that there were at least six victims.

The case came to light when a 14-year-old girl disappeared, since her cell phone was key to bringing new information to light. As a result, a 20-year-old man was arrested as the analysis of the seized phones progressed. A worrying aspect of the case is that a serving police officer is implicated who apparently “shelved” the complaint filed in 2020.

How to prevent grooming

To prevent and detect grooming, it is necessary to understand that the information we upload to the internet can fall into the hands of strangers with bad intentions, so using social media privacy settings is key. It is also necessary to avoid sharing personal information, but if it is shared, one should choose which people can access it. Not giving out information or sharing compromising images, not even with acquaintances, is also important because photos can be taken out of context and exposed online. The webcam should not be used to chat with strangers because the person on the other end may be recording. It is important not to use one’s full name as a nickname when playing online, and it is essential to use strong passwords. These should be easy to remember but hard to guess, so that no one can access our information.

Children and adolescents have the right to have fun, play and communicate on the internet, but that does not mean that social networks and games are spaces where they can blindly trust anyone. There are adults lying in wait who use these spaces to approach minors, build a bond of trust and then take advantage of them.

That is why it is important to exercise some caution whenever interacting with strangers online and to remember that not everything behind a screen is what it seems. It is also essential that minors know they can ask for help if something makes them uncomfortable or if someone makes them a proposal that raises doubts.

In turn, families can make use of the tools offered by the different platforms, such as parental controls and privacy settings, to support minors while they use the internet. Social media and digital spaces can also be safe places for them, but for that to happen it is necessary to know the risks, take some precautions and have adults who can support them.