KIRO
Keep It Real Online
Online grooming
What it is
Grooming is when an adult (sometimes posing as a peer) builds trust with a child online, gradually, in order to sexually abuse or exploit them — through gifts, attention, secrecy, or threats. It rarely looks dramatic at first. That’s what makes it dangerous.
What it looks like on your child's phone
- A new online "friend" your child is unusually protective or secretive about
- Gifts, recharge cards, or in-game currency from someone they only know online
- Switching screens or deleting chats when you walk in
- Mood changes tied to their phone — anxious, withdrawn, or suddenly very private
What to do tonight
- Stay calm — reacting with anger can push a child to hide more, not less
- Don’t confront the other account yourself; that can destroy evidence
- Screenshot what you can, without deleting anything
- Report to the National Cyber Crime Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) or call 1098
What the law says in India
The POCSO Act, 2012 criminalises the sexual exploitation of anyone under 18, including grooming and online solicitation. Section 67B of the IT Act, 2000 separately criminalises using the internet to induce, entice, or solicit a child for sexual conduct — a minor cannot legally consent, and that is not a defence.
General information, not legal advice.
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