Are You Safe? It's a tough subject to discuss but it does need to be had with our children or friends and family. Pedophiles lurk on social media primarily to identify and groom vulnerable children for sexual exploitation. They exploit the platforms' vast user base, anonymity, and features like private messaging to build trust and escalate interactions. Awareness of these tactics helps users stay vigilant and protect themselves or others. Key Motivations: Predators seek sexual gratification by targeting children who appear naive, lonely, or unsupervised online. https://rawhide.org/blog/teen-issues/social-media-a-gateway-for-child-predators?utm_source=perplexity Common Tactics: They pose as peers or sympathetic figures to initiate contact on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, and TikTok. https://bravehearts.org.au/research-lobbying/stats-facts/online-risks-child-exploitation-grooming/?utm_source=perplexity Grooming involves flattery, sympathy, gradual introduction of sexual topics, and requests for photos or meetings.https://icmec-english.tovuti.io/news/the-new-stranger-danger-tactics-used-in-the-online-grooming-of-children?tmpl=component&print=1&format=print&utm_source=perplexity Platforms Exploited: Social networks and apps with chat features, such as Facebook (30%), Discord (26%), and Snapchat (23%), are hotspots due to easy access to minors' profiles and disappearing messages. https://bravehearts.org.au/research-lobbying/stats-facts/online-risks-child-exploitation-grooming/?utm_source=perplexity Gaming chats and messengers like Telegram enable isolation from family oversight. https://ussafe.org/children-and-online-predators/?utm_source=perplexity Predators adapt quickly to new trends and AI moderation gaps. https://thefreedomstory.org/the-growing-ways-predators-target-teens-on-social-media/?utm_source=perplexity