Lots of child pornography and unlawful sexual intercourse cases arose from online games.
Protect children from online sexual threats
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures and suspension of classes, many children and juveniles have relied on the Internet. Notably, some perpetrators took advantage of online games to induce underage girls to send indecent photos or videos. Some common networking apps were used to lure underage girls to have sexual intercourse or other unlawful activities. What’s more, a number of young boys were asked to send naked photos when making acquaintances on the Internet. During 2020 and 2021, the number of child pornography, unlawful sexual intercourse and online naked chat blackmail cases relating to Internet increased significantly when compared to the times before the pandemic.
Child pornography
Lots of child pornography and unlawful sexual intercourse cases arose from online games. These games usually encourage players to have interactive activities such as game captures sharing, forming teams, in order to seize upgraded weapons or skins. Below show how perpetrators approach the victims:
- Claiming sale of weapons and skins by leaving a message in the chatroom
- When someone replied to the message, the perpetrator will obtain the background information of the buyer
- When the perpetrator discovers that the buyer is an underage girl, he will sharply cut the selling price but ask the buyer to send a naked photo as consideration.
- The victims may agree such request in order to get their desired weapons or skins without charge.
- The perpetrator will not provide the weapons or skins after receiving the victims’ naked photos but will extort the victims for more naked photos with the one on hand.
Unlawful sexual intercourse
Besides, the perpetrator will use social networking media and apps to gather child pornography and induce underage girls to have unlawful sexual intercourse as many teenage girls like meeting friends or even boyfriend on the social networking media. This is how the crime happens:
- When the perpetrator discovers that the counterparty is a teenage girl, he will try everything to please her.
- To dull the vigilance of the victim, the perpetrator may keep caring and pretend to be a her genuine friend.
- After gaining the trust of the victim, the perpetrator will start flirting or lure her to provide photo of body parts
- If the victim agrees, the perpetrator may ask for more. For example, requesting her to take photos of intimate parts, naked chat, or even asking the victim out on a date.
Due to the social distancing measures under the pandemic, their dating venues tend to be rather hidden, such as hourly hotels or the perpetrators’ homes. After receiving the victim’s naked photos, they will continue to use these photos to blackmail for more, or request the victim pay for the naked photos. The fraudsters may even take the chance to sexual assault the victim when they go out on a date.
Naked Chat Blackmail
Apart from underage girls, young boys may also become the victims of sexual assaults. Before the pandemic, most victims of naked chat blackmail were male adults. Below show how perpetrators approach the victims:
- Fraudsters upload hot sexy female icons to attract male net friends on social networking media or networking software.
- Being a net friend of the victim, the fraudsters will use different excuses to ask the victim to take off clothes, or voluntary take off his own clothes to lure the victim.
- Some fraudsters send Internet links which will automatically download malwares to get the information and contact list of the victim.
- After that, the fraudsters will blackmail the victim for money, otherwise they will upload the indecent videos to the Internet or share to the victims’ family.
The fraudsters will request the victim to pay in remittance, Bitcoin or gift cards / point cards. If the victim refuses, the fraudsters will use their chat history or naked photos or videos provided to blackmail the victim.
The victim’s state of mind
Why so many youngers fell victims? Police clinical psychologist interviewed with the victims and concluded the following victim’s state of mind.
- “I would not be so unlucky!”Some victims are out-going and like meeting friends. They think that they would not be so unlucky. They are confidence in themselves as they have some knowledge about the modus operandi but would rather push their luck, believing that they would not fall into the traps.
- “Other people could not see those photos!”Some victims simply think only the fraudsters could view the naked photos. In fact, the cyber world is no different from the public space. Sending naked photos to fraudsters is just the same as walking on the streets naked. Even worse, the naked photos will sustain on the Internet permanently.
- “The counterparty also showed her body parts to me, so she must not be cheating me!”Some victims think that even the female counterparty also showed her body parts, so it is not likely a cheating. However, these may be pre-recorded videos. The one who behind scene may be a male.
- “Everything is going to be okay if I follow the instructions of the fraudster!”Some teenagers are rather independent, believing they are capable to solve any problems by themselves. When they come across fraudsters, they believe that all problems will be solved if they follow every instructions of the fraudsters. Thus, they made payment or sent naked photos to the fraudsters repeatedly.
- “Don’t tell others, because I am fear of being laughed by others. Family will be disappointed on me!” These underage victims were too shame to tell others, especially the family. Besides, Chinese parents are more authoritative, making the victims not dare to seek help from their parents. Instead, they may find friends or social workers.
Tips to parents, teachers and social workers
Parents, teachers or social workers should remind their children and students:
- Don’t be naked in front of cameras
- Don’t be obsessed with online games or social networking activities
- Don’t accept the gifts or meet net friends alone
- Don’t respond to indecent chats
- Don’t disclose personal or family information
- In case of doubt, report the case to the Police immediately
Cultivating good online habits for your children
- Parents who have good ethics and moral standards set a good example for their children
- Share the joy of using computers, surf the net with your children
- Provide proper guidance on safe web surfing
- Teach children to distinguish objectionable materials on the Internet
- Remind children to remain vigilant when meeting new net friends and develop their awareness of cyber traps
Make good use of filtering/ parenting functions
Parents should make good use of privacy setting and filtering function of computers and mobile phones. All operating systems of mobile phones or tablets, explorers, social platforms or instant messaging software have filtering and parenting functions to protect children from objectionable information and contact by strangers.
Conclusion
In the ever-changing digital age, children and teenagers are inevitably easier to fall into different cyber traps and exposure to objectionable materials. We must develop the digital literacy and care about the physical and mental health of our next generation.
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