What is cybergrooming?

Cybergrooming is the targeted approach of children and (especially underage) adolescents via the Internet, for example in chats, in a manipulative manner, with the aim of involving the victim in a relationship of trust. The relationship of trust is then exploited to commit crimes such as sexually motivated assaults up to and including rape or, in the worst case, murder.

Approach of the perpetrators using the example of Fortnite

Offenders specifically use online environments popular with children and young people, such as online games, for this purpose. By playing online games together, criminals easily get to know potential victims in a digital gaming environment.

The graphic design of the highly successful online game Fortnite appeals to children and makes the game seem quite harmless. Therefore, many children play the game in their parents’ living room, even though it is a shooter game.

Adults take advantage of this environment and establish closer contact with children and teenagers through their common interest in gaming. As a result, they shift communication to mostly messenger services as soon as possible, and the perpetrators start sexually harassing the children.

In-game chats in Fortnite Battle Royale.

Currently, Fortnite is one of the most popular games. The free online game has different game modes. For example, you can also play in teams. These teams can be made up of friends, but teams can also be made up of unknown people.

For cybergrooming, the integrated chat function is particularly interesting. These chats are not moderated and the comments are not monitored. This leads to many insults and threats among gamers, and possible perpetrators on the other hand also easily come into direct contact with children. The game has been approved by the Entertainment Software Self-Regulation Body (USK) for ages 12 and up.

Contact with children via YouTube, TikTok and Twitch

Perpetrators also contact children on the many forums and Let’s Plays that also feature Fortnite. Whether on YouTube, TikTok, or Twitch, Fortnite is popping up everywhere. Adults can make contact with children online in all these places without being observed by also pretending to be children or teenagers and thus building up trust. Potential victims are thus easy to contact at any time. The supposed common interest in Fortnite connects and provides a basis for easy contact.

There are currently around 400 million players registered on Fortnite. At times, between three and eight million players are online simultaneously. A paradise for cybergrooming.

Gaming and the schoolyard intermingle

Manners from Fortnite are increasingly popping up in schoolyards, too. The floss dance, now familiar to many adults through TikTok and Instagram, originated in the online game, as did the widely used phrase “standard.” The pressure to be part of the action online is accordingly great for schoolchildren.

Set up parental controls for Fortnite

Parents can activate a setting on Fortnite that, for example, filters offensive language, disables chat features, and restricts the visibility of player names. The parental controls for Fortnite are activated in the game lobby, where all users are located before starting a round. For this, a confirmed email address must be linked to the game account. Parents can use a six-digit PIN to ensure that the settings made are not changed by young people. It is important that parents choose a secure PIN and do not share it with their children.

How can I protect my child from cyber-grooming?

• Fostering trust. Take an interest in the world your child lives in – both online and offline – and talk about it together! Signal to your child that he or she can also turn to you for help with problems on the Internet without being punished right away.
• Create awareness of the problem. Talk to your child about the fact that not all people on the Internet have good intentions and how you can possibly tell. Also explain that other users are not always who they say they are.
• Avoid bans. Out of concern, many parents forbid their child to make contact with strangers on the Internet – but in the age of Instagram, Snapchat, Musical.ly & Co. this is unrealistic. Remember: young users nowadays always come into contact with strangers on the Internet!
• Strengthen gut feeling. Encourage your child to listen to his or her gut feeling when he or she finds something unpleasant – this can even be the “horrible” kiss from the great aunt.
• Practice saying “no.” Train your child to fend off groomers – with statements such as “Leave me alone!”, “I don’t want that!”, “What you’re doing is forbidden!”, “I’m reporting this to the police/I’m reporting you!” If children and young people resist advances from the outset, they quickly become unattractive to potential perpetrators.
• Protect personal data and photos. Inculcate in your child that personal data such as address, school, cell phone number, etc. should never be shared with people you only know online – the same applies to photos as well. Always be careful with children’s photos, even within the family – for example, your child’s bathtub photos have no place on Instagram, Facebook, etc.!
• Only meet in public. Agree with your child that he or she will meet an acquaintance from the Net only in public places (e.g., movie theater, café, etc.) and be sure to let you know beforehand. Accompany your offspring if possible and stay within sight.
• Stay calm! Talk to your child as objectively and calmly as possible about cyber-grooming and don’t panic. Children should not get the feeling that they have to protect their parents – otherwise they will not turn to them when the occasion arises.