The students hang on every word from two Western Massachusetts high schoolers leading a conversation, laughing over silly Google searches and rattling off social media apps.
Then the mood sharpens. Their visit to the elementary school isn’t about fun. It’s about danger — and the reality that some of the people these children talk to online are predators.
“Statistically, when a child has a phone, they are just ripe for the plucking. They’re sitting ducks,” said Hampden County Assistant District Attorney Eileen Sears, who leads the DA’s Special Victims Unit (SVU). “And when kids are that little, they don’t anticipate that there’s a lot of danger out there.”
Earlier this month, a 29-year-old New England man was charged with multiple felonies after Florida officials say he met a 14-year-old through the online video game Fortnite. They continued communicating through Snapchat, Roblox and exchanging phone numbers.
Eventually, the man convinced the 14-year-old that they were in a romantic relationship, despite knowing the child’s age, and coerced the child into creating and sending hundreds of pictures and videos of child sex abuse.
It’s one of many such stories across the U.S.
“They’re so innocent and they want to make friends, they think that everybody online is a friend — and that’s not the truth,” Sears said. “There’s people that are constantly waiting in the wings. And predators not only know the lingo, but they know the avenues to get where they want to go.”
Roblox is facing several lawsuits and other claims accusing it of enabling sexual predators to connect with and abuse children, CNN reported. In November, it began implementing a new safety measure, which was expanded globally in January.
But that doesn’t mean the threat is over.
On Thursday, U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley warned about “764,” a violent online group that seeks to coerce and manipulate children through online platforms like Minecraft and Discord.
“My office is increasingly concerned about the rise of 764 in Massachusetts and we will be bringing training sessions for police, school and parents, as well as public awareness efforts in the coming weeks,” she said during a roundtable with reporters.
The FBI has more than 250 investigations in connection with the group underway, ABC News reported. Every single one of its 55 field offices across the country is currently handling a 764-related case, FBI Assistant Director David Scott, the head of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, told the news outlet.
Snapchat, however, might be the most dangerous platform.
The messages disappear on Snapchat, which makes it especially difficult for law enforcement. It entices children because “it’s like a secret passageway to communicate with others.” But it’s also enticing to child predators.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and New Mexico have filed lawsuits against Snap in connection with children’s safety. In Massachusetts, multiple bills have been introduced regarding the safety of children. However, none have passed.
“It can happen to any kid. Not only can it happen to any kid, but it can escalate quickly and after a certain point there’s no going back,” Sears said. “And I think one of the really hard facts is once an image is out there, you can’t get it back.”
However, the Hampden District Attorney’s office recognizes that this message coming from Sears, parents, teachers or other adults might not stick with elementary school students. And even the most well-intentioned parents can’t monitor their child 24/7. Instead, the district attorney’s office is training high schoolers to present the message across elementary and middle schools in Western Massachusetts.
The program is part of the Hampden District Attorney Youth Advisory Board, which includes more than 70 students from various schools in a year-long program. The first meeting was on Oct. 1 and started with Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni giving a speech and encouraging the students.
At the following meeting, Sears began training the students.
In December, Liam Maher, of Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham, and Kahleb Cruz, of Springfield International Charter School, spoke to the fifth grade classes.
The high schoolers walk the students through an entire lesson, talking about who is a trusted adult, how cyber bullying goes beyond name calling and playing a rap song about not sharing your password.
The students also talk through situations, talking about what to do if someone gets an Instagram follow request from someone they don’t know or if another Fortnite player asks for their name and address.
And the students get to ask the high schoolers questions.
Maher talks about how he wrestles and plays lacrosse, while Cruz plays basketball, bowls, runs track and cross country. They talk about how much homework they have and what time they get out of school. And they give life advice.
Cruz encourages the students to start surrounding themselves with the right group of people in middle school.
“You are who you hang around with,” Maher said.
As the elementary school students head back to their classrooms, many stop to talk with Cruz and Maher — asking questions, trading jokes, offering high fives. One even dares Cruz to a game of basketball.
In that moment, it’s clear why the program works: it’s coming from people the students genuinely admire.
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