Protecting Teens from Sextortion: A Parent’s Guide to Stopping Online Blackmail, Manipulation, and Digital Exploitation (Digital Defense for Families)

A short, essential guide for every parent of a teen in the digital age.
Sextortion is one of the fastest-growing online threats targeting teenagers today. Criminals, predators, and even peers are using grooming tactics, fake identities, AI-generated images, and emotional manipulation to pressure teens into sending photos or money — and then trapping them in terrifying cycles of threats and fear.

In Protecting Teens from Sextortion, cybersecurity expert Eliza Trenholm gives parents a clear, practical roadmap for understanding and preventing this modern crime. This short, easy-to-read guide explains exactly how sextortion begins, what signs to look for, how to talk to your teen without shame or panic, and what steps to take if threats have already started.

Inside this guide, you’ll learn:

• How sextortion really works — and why even “responsible” teens get targeted
• The grooming tactics predators use to build trust and escalate conversations
• The early behavioral signs that a teen may be hiding fear or shame
• How to approach your teen calmly and supportively (with practical scripts)
• What to do immediately if threats, demands, or blackmail occur
• Why you should never pay or negotiate
• How to secure accounts, collect evidence, and report safely
• How AI-generated photos, deepfakes, and voice cloning are changing the landscape
• How to support your teen emotionally after the crisis and rebuild trust

Written for busy parents, this concise guide is calm, nonjudgmental, and actionable. You don’t need technical expertise — you only need clear information and a supportive approach.

Part of the Digital Defense for Families Series — short, focused guides designed to help parents protect their children from the most urgent online risks today.