We undoubtedly hear and read about blackmail every day in the media and newspapers, or about an incident involving a friend or colleague. Yet there is a very large group of victims we do not hear about: children. A child subjected to online blackmail experiences intense confusion and fear. Fear is the principal means of influencing a victim; even people of high standing and learning are vulnerable to it, so what about children who cannot find someone to stand beside and support them? It is therefore understandable that we hear little about child blackmail. Not hearing about something does not mean it is not happening.
A child generally hides problems from the family for two reasons. The first is fear of their reaction. Parents often scold children when they disclose something wrong they have done. This is a mistake: it encourages children to conceal both what they do and what happens to them.
The second reason is outright neglect and the absence of any reaction at all. Some parents neglect their children because they are tired or busy—often busy with social media or enjoying time with friends. The child thinks: “Telling my parent is a waste of time. They will not care.” This leaves two paths: surrendering to the blackmailer or looking for someone else to help. In many cases, that helper also exploits the child's vulnerability, offering assistance but using the child in return for further help.
Prevention is better than cure. Support your children emotionally and give them safety and reassurance when they confess or complain. I recommend monitoring children's social media accounts and making them private so strangers cannot reach them. I also advise against accounts bearing a child's real name or personal photograph; use a pseudonym. Do not trust strangers: lying on social media is very easy. A thirty-year-old can claim to be young in order to attract a child through online games or social media.