Capping: How the Bad Guys Get to Your Kids Online

Online predators use increasingly deceptive tactics to reach children. One alarming trend is “capping,” a form of predation where kids are tricked into sharing explicit content. As parents, understanding how capping works and taking preventive steps can help protect children from online exploitation.

Predatory behaviour is everywhere online. Social media and gaming platforms – the most popular places for our kids to be – are the most common places it begins. (A fisherman goes to where the most fish can be found.)

Understanding Capping and Online Predator Behaviour

Capping is a term that describes the latest form of online predatory behaviour. If a young person is deceived, coerced, or threatened into creating explicit content, including videos and images, and that content is captured, then your child has been “capped”. 

Consent is absent in almost all capping. Most capped kids are victims without even knowing they are being recorded. Often, they believe they are sharing images and videos with someone they know, only to discover later that they have fallen victim to a multitude of crimes.

Common Tactics Online Predators Use

Here’s how it works:

1. First, a friend’s account is hacked (or copied).
2. Next, a chat between your child and the predator begins on an in-game chat or social media inbox, and your child thinks it’s really their friend (or a peer they’ve “friended” to chat with).
3. Eventually, the chat moves from the game or social media platform to an encrypted platform.
4. Then, sexual solicitations are made.
5. Finally, images are shared.

Your child is now a victim of predation and may not even know it. These offenders often form connections with others who share their perverse desires. The shared materials are then circulated within their dark web networks, elevating their status among like-minded individuals.

The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) indicates that capping happens faster than ever before, often in just a handful of minutes. As a result, young people regularly overlook red flags and make poor decisions in the heat of the moment.

Practical Tips for Parents to Protect Their Kids

And research shows that most parents aren’t having conversations with their kids about staying safe online, and even when they do, some kids miss the memo.

So, here’s what we need to do:

• To begin with, keep devices in public areas; no dimming screens; and no screens in bedrooms or bathrooms.
• Additionally, check and adjust privacy settings to limit your child’s exposure to unknown people.
• Teach critical thinking – why would a friend want you on a different platform? Are you sure you’re talking to the person you think you’re talking to?
• Your child must guarantee to report anything suspicious to you.

Creating a Safe Environment for Ongoing Conversations

This is not a one-time conversation. Open, non-judgmental conversations must be frequent and ongoing, adapting as children get older and online threats evolve. Create an environment where kids feel comfortable sharing their experiences and concerns. Instead of judging, we should focus on understanding and guiding them to make safe choices online.

This is not the only risk to kids, and importantly, it’s not the only way capping occurs.

Where to Find Additional Resources

Stay proactive in protecting your child from online risks. For more guidance on keeping kids safe, visit the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) website.