Intro
Grooming is when a person slowly builds trust with a child or teen so they can later pressure, manipulate or exploit them.
What it means
It can happen in games, social apps, messaging, livestreams and AI-adjacent communities. It often begins with attention, compliments, gifts or secrecy.
Red flags
- They ask to keep contact secret.
- They say the child is mature.
- They move the chat to another app.
- They ask for images or private details.
- They ask to delete the chat.
What kids can do
- You do not have to reply.
- Save safe details like username and platform.
- Talk to a trusted adult.
- Use a short safe reply: I do not keep secrets like this.
What parents can do
- Start calmly.
- Say: You are not in trouble.
- Do not shame or punish first.
- Stop contact and collect safe evidence without intimate images.
When to get help
Get professional help if there are threats, pressure for images, money demands, offline meeting requests or possible child sexual abuse material.
Related Sprout Guard features
- Contact check
- Safe Keyboard
- Parent Coach
- Safe Evidence
FAQ
Start with safety, not punishment. The child may need the phone to show safe details or ask for help.