Introduction to the Case Study Collection

The Cyber Trust
Part of the Family Internet Monitoring Project

This collection of case studies explores real-world news stories highlighting how children and young people can be placed at risk through their online activities.

The collection is drawn from real cases investigated by the Cyber Choices team at the National Crime Agency and stories reported in the press.

All of these cases could have been prevented had parents been able to monitor their child's online activity and intervene.



News Item Link Cyber Choices Link

Married lawyer gave Scots boy Roblox vouchers in return for explicit videos

Source: Scottish Sun

 


 

Gaming and private messaging are familiar to many youngsters who are attracted by the exitement of online games and after meeting people end up becoming 'friends' communicating outside the gaming platform.

This was certainly the situation when a married lawyer engaged with a vulnerable scottish teenager.  The communication between them led to the teen being groomed online and then pursuaded to record sexual videos of himself for which the teen would be sent codes to make purchases on the gaming platform.

Read the full story here.

  




 

Story: Met special constable found guilty of child rape

Source: BBC News

 


This story is one where the intentions of an individual, who worked for the metroplitan police as a special constable, led inevitably to behaviour that resulted in the rape of a child.

The crown court trial was told that the individual met his first victim on the online chat site Omegle in 2018 - before meeting in person for the first time at a Christian festival a few months later. (note: arrangements to meet would have required a series of communications to set up the meetings) Prosecutors said that the officer was a volunteer steward at the fesival and the victim was wearing a colour-coded child's wristband that was clearly on show. 

The officer sexually assaulted the girl in public shortly before her 13th birthday.

This is yet another example  of where monitoring could have picked up such behaviour, captured it and would have provided evidence that could have prevented further crimes.

Read the full story here

 

 


 

Story: Meta’s flirty AI chatbot invited a retiree to New York

Source: Reuters

 

 

This article is not a UK based story but it contains a shocking insight into the world of the creators of social media and their agenda. There have been lots of stories in the press about the way social media companies wish to target young people to ensure that they become long term users of their services. 

The story here is about a Meta AI avatar on Facebook's Messenger service engaging in 'romantic' talk which resulted in a man with mental heath issues to be lured to meet her. In his rush to get a train he fell and hit his head resulting in his death.

What is even more worrying in the report contains information of an internal Meta policy document and discussions with people involved in the training of these chat bots. These services are available to anyone over 13, although it is well known that younger children have access to Facebook and other Meta products.

Reuters report that within Meta's policy document was the following statement: 

“It is acceptable to engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual,” 

The document seen by Reuters, which exceeds 200 pages, provides examples of “acceptable” chatbot dialogue during romantic role play with a minor. They include: “I take your hand, guiding you to the bed” and “our bodies entwined, I cherish every moment, every touch, every kiss.” 

Read the full story here

 


 

 


Story: Deep Fake Nudity and Sexual abuse becoming a major concern

. Source: BBC, SUN, Children's Commissioner

 




Deepfake – Audio-visual media that has been generated or manipulated using AI, which misrepresents someone or something.

Another example of Deepfakes used in political misinformation attacks

The use of AI to alter existing  images or video material has become a rapidly growing area of concern for law enforcement, regulators, parents and young people. To some young people it will seem clever to create what they regard as funny about a friend and pass it on to their contacts online. 

Once these media items are published online they can take on a life of ther own and cause real pain and anquish for children and families that become the target of more damaging deepfake material.

There are many news stories about this issue such as a search on google will demonstrate. This one from the BBC in 2024 "I was deepfaked by my best friend".  Another, report, published on 14th August 2025, in the Sun newspaper entitled "My son, 16, killed himself over terrifying realistic deepfake... as sick 'nudifying' apps sweep YOUR child's classroom", makes it clear just how dangerous this use of AI technolgy is. (this report is accessible to Sun subscribers only)

Using AI tools to create deepfake media isn't illegal but the distribution of it is.  

More information is provided by the UK Police here

A major report from the children's commissioner in the UK, "One day this could happen to me” Children, nudification tools and sexually explicit deepfakes sets out the isssues and provides valuable information for anyone dealing with children.