The first thirty minutes
- Stay calm with the child. Make clear they are not in trouble; you need them to keep talking to you.
- Do not delete anything. Screenshot profiles, messages and usernames, including the app it happened on.
- Block the account and report it to the platform; every major app has a child-safety reporting route.
- If there is an immediate threat of harm, call the police emergency number.
The next day
- Report to the police cybercrime portal or the national child-protection line listed for your country.
- If images were sent, use the platform's removal process and, for under-18s, the Take It Down service run by NCMEC.
- Review privacy settings and who can message the child on each app they use.
Keep this evidence
- Usernames, profile links, phone numbers, and the times of contact.
- Any payment demands or threats, verbatim.
Do not
- Do not confront or contact the offender yourself.
- Do not punish the child by taking away every device; it teaches them to hide the next incident.
Who to report to
Police, and the children's helpline for your country. Find the numbers and portals for your country in the reporting directory.
General guidance, not legal advice. If someone is in immediate danger, call your police emergency number.