Safety in Digital Friendships

What safety in digital friendships is, who it affects, and what a child should learn — a free entry from the Digital Guardians Threat Dictionary.

Target age range: 8–18 years. Adapt topics: younger kids focus on “strangers online,” older kids on peer influence and grooming.

Learning objective: Youth will learn how to form healthy online friendships and recognize when an online “friend” might be manipulative or unsafe. They will identify age-appropriate communication, notice red flags of grooming or coercion, and learn how to safely disconnect from contacts who abuse trust.

Threat definition

The main threat is deceptive or harmful relationships formed online. This includes grooming (when someone builds trust to exploit a child), cyberbullying by peers, and romance or sextortion schemes. Online offenders can pretend to be friends by giving flattery, gifts, or attention, then pressure the child into secrets or inappropriate activities. Misleading friends can also spread rumors or private content.

FORMS THIS THREAT TAKES

• Grooming When someone builds trust to exploit a child. Online offenders can pretend to be friends by giving flattery, gifts, or attention, then pressure the child into secrets or inappropriate activities.
• Cyberbullying by Peers Harmful treatment from peers within a relationship that is supposed to feel friendly.
• Romance or Sextortion Schemes Deceptive relationships that use affection or pressure to coerce a child, including attempts to obtain or threaten over private content.
• Misleading Friends Misleading friends can also spread rumors or private content.

The full chapter is in Pillar 1: Awareness & Foundations and the Complete Edition.