FBI Richmond warns parents of violent online networks targeting children
The FBI said they are seeing a sharp increase in the 764 Members of Violent Online Networks targeting young people with the goal of coercing them into recording or even live-streaming acts of self-harm.
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The FBI is warning parents about a disturbing online trend targeting teens.
Internet strangers are trying to coerce minors into harming themselves.
The FBI said they are seeing a sharp increase in the 764 Members of Violent Online Networks, which are internet strangers targeting young people to coerce them into recording or even live-streaming acts of self-harm.
“Parents and educators, we here at FBI Richmond want to tell you about an alarming trend we’re seeing that’s affecting our children,” FBI Richmond Special Agent in Charge Stanley Meador said.
It’s a trend that’s been rapidly growing since 2022.
Meador said these violent networks are targeting young people online with a desire to cause fear and chaos through them.
“What we’ve seen anything that involves sending what we call child sex abuse materials, nude photos of young people to things as severe as getting young people to carve their abuser’s name into their skin and photograph that,” Meador said.
Meador said these extremist groups will also extort victims into sharing anything related to animal cruelty, violence to others, and even suicide.
“Their intent to overall to sow discord, create chaos but more specifically it varies from case to case, it could be individuals seeking sexual gratification, social prominence on these platforms and tragically there is an area in this where the more violent depictions these subjects can get victims to do, the more status they receive online,” Meador said.
He said they mainly target teen girls, but that certainly doesn’t mean they’re the only victims.
Among the targets are children who struggle with mental health issues.
The FBI warns parents to keep an eye out for if their child’s behavior suddenly changes and they become withdrawn, moody or irritable.
“Have a conversation with your children about their online activity, make sure you are setting clear boundaries with what they’re doing, and make sure you know what they’re doing,” Meador said.
The message to young people is to be careful who you’re talking to online.
“When you are on a gaming app, or social media site, you may be thinking you’re playing an ordinary game but be cautious of those people reaching out to you and those relationships that you may be forming with individuals because it may be a subject seeking to do harm,” Meador said.
Meador said they are working with their counterterrorism and child exploitation task force to try to stop this.
If you think your child has been a victim of one of these groups, you can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.FBI.gov.
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