The scary new online dangers parents need to be watching for in 2025

The internet can feel like a second home for our children—whether they’re gaming with friends, scrolling TikTok or asking AI for help with their homework. But while the digital world brings fun, learning and connection, it also comes with a new wave of risks that most parents didn’t grow up with and may struggle to spot.

In 2025, the worries for parents go far beyond simple “too much screen time.” From AI tools creating shockingly realistic fakes that can be used to blackmail children to secret apps that let bullies' comments vanish without a trace, the threats are more hidden and harder to control than ever. And yet, being aware of what’s out there—and talking to your child about it—remains the most powerful way to keep them safe.

Here, we break down some of the biggest online dangers facing kids right now, with practical tips to help parents stay one step ahead.

Deepfake friends: When the face on screen isn’t who you think it is

The threat: One of the newest and most alarming new online threats for children is the rise of AI-generated deepfake technology. The definition of a deepfake is a video of a person that has been digitally altered so that they appear to be someone else, usually for malicious purposes, although sometimes to simply entertain. Scammers often use deepfakes to create fake videos to spread misinformation or to blackmail someone.

Children may come across videos or voices that appear or sound exactly like their real friends or family members. Imagine a video call that looks like it’s from a friend at school, asking to share a homework file. Or a voice note that sounds exactly like the child’s Mum, asking for a password. Deepfakes can be used for scams, bullying or even grooming, and because they appear so convincing, kids may not realise they’re fake until it’s too late.

What parents can do: Parents should have an open and honest conversation with their children explaining what deepfakes are and how convincing they can be.

Encourage your children to never accept anything online at face value and to look for signs that it might not be what it looks like. Teach them about trusted sources of information and consider bookmarking websites that you trust for them.

You could also create family or friend ‘code words’ that you kids can use to confirm that a message or request is from the real person. And for an added digital guardian, there are some AI content detector apps and browser plug-ins and extensions you can use to highlight when an image, video or text has been created by AI.

You can also encourage them to only have private social media accounts and to check in person with their friends that their account names match and remind them that you will never be cross with them for asking your advice on whether something is right or wrong online. Finally, if they are worried about a message or something being fake, remind them that they can call or speak to their friend or family member in person to get straight to the truth.

AI-generated content: Why chatbots and image tools can create shockingly unsafe material

The threat: AI has become a huge part of everyday life very quickly and so as a parent you may feel very concerned and unsure of what exactly it is and how it could affect your children. There are some very obvious concerns such as children using AI to do their homework, which schools are currently dealing with, to less obvious threats such as AI chatbots targeting children with explicit or harmful material in order to brainwash them or spread fake news.

Children may find it hard to distinguish between real people and AI chatbots online and could start to rely on chatbots for information, advice and support. AI tools simply can't understand or respond to the complexities of a child’s life – especially when it comes to their home environment, friendships or family relationships, all of which are central to their mental health. Research shows younger children, in particular, may treat AI as a sentient being, forming emotional attachments to their devices rather than seeking support from real people.

What parents can do: Recent research from the NSPCC reveals that while more than half of children (52%) have experimented with AI platforms, only 31% of parents believe their child has done so. This significant disconnect highlights a growing challenge for families trying to navigate the risks and benefits of rapidly advancing artificial intelligence technology.

Practically there are several actions parents can take including setting age filters on any AI tools your child might use, talking openly about what your kids might read on AI and why it might not be trustworthy, and how important it is to sense check and find a reliable source for anything that an AI chatbot might say.

Gaming grooming: How predators use Roblox, Fortnite and Minecraft to get close to kids

The threat: You might think your child is enjoying some well-deserved down time in a virtual playground like Minecraft or Roblox with their friends, but sadly predators and paedophiles hiding behind computer screens have found their way into these games too by using the chat component to befriend and groom children. Often these predators gain access to your child by offering help within the game or gifts such as extra credit to but add-ons.

With platforms like Roblox and Minecraft reaching over a billion users across the globe every day, your child could be exposed to a whole host of threats and content that they should never have to see.

What parents can do: Start by making any gaming in your house a social event and not a secretive one that they do in their own room. Encourage gaming in the living room (or even family gaming sessions) and set boundaries on friend requests. In every game that your child is playing online be sure to research and set up the correct parental controls for their age group and control the permissions for chatting online. Keep constantly up to date with evolving parental controls too.

Disappearing messages: The bullying and risky chats that vanish before you can see them

The threat: If you’ve ever caught yourself telling your child to be careful because everything they write or post online can come back to haunt them then this next threat might just stop you in your tracks… Disappearing messages are just that – texts, photos or videos that self-destruct after a set amount of time. This has huge implications for cyber bullying and what your child might be exposed to online.

The most famous platform for these types of messages is Snapchat and recently Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram and Telegram have also added options for messages that have a timeframe attached or the ability to delete messages from all devices that received them. This creates a dangerous breeding ground for bullying, grooming and blackmailing.

What parents can do: Remind children that even disappearing messages can live on in the form of screenshots and be used to blackmail them or get them into serious trouble. You might want to ban any apps with disappearing messages based on your child’s age or only allow them if they have a private account with friends that you approve.

Disable any disappearing message settings on your child’s phone and apps they use or set up controls that only allow friends to message. Educate your child on how to talk online or in messaging apps and remind them to read every message before they send it and check if there’s any way it could be misconstrued.

Influencer pressure: When your child’s online idols push unrealistic looks and lifestyles

The threat: Remember how you felt seeing your favourite celebrity plastered over the front of a weekly magazine back in the 90s or 00s. That strong desire to be as thin, as beautiful, as stylish, as rich, as successful as them… and how rubbish it can make you feel when you realise that will never be the case.

Well today’s kids have access to their idols at the touch of a button just be scrolling through TikTok, YouTube or Instagram and can feel those emotions hundreds of times a day if they so desire.

While some influencers are harmless fun, others promote unrealistic beauty standards, extreme fitness routines or expensive lifestyles that no ordinary child (or family) can keep up with. And even more disturbing is that unlike the traditional celebrities you may have followed in magazines, influencers feel accessible, like friends. This can make their content even more persuasive—and much harder for children to question.

What parents can do: Spend some time with your child while they scroll and discuss what you’re seeing together. Ask what they like about certain influencers to help you spot any red flags. Remind your child about filters, editing, staging and the role of AI in making things seem perfect and point out any clues for them to spot to things not being as they appear.

You may want to help them set up their social feeds in the first place, encouraging them to follow a range of positive role models and content creators who focus on things other than just looks or extravagant lifestyles such as skills like their favourite sport or their interests like art or animals.

And if your child suddenly seems obsessed with one influencer ask them to show you their last three posts and to list something they think is real from them and something that might be staged. This will encourage them to approach that influencer with more care going forwards.

Consider setting up a “charging station” for phones somewhere communal in the house so that phones don’t ever end up in your child’s bedroom at night.

Algorithm traps: When platforms keep feeding extreme, harmful content

The threat: TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram and other scroll-all-day platforms are designed to keep children hooked by serving up endless personalised videos. While this can mean hours of cute pet clips or harmless comedy, it can in some cases push kids towards increasingly extreme or harmful material.

Scarily algorithms learn what a child pauses on—even briefly—and then feed them more of the same. That can mean a casual search for healthy eating recipes quickly spirals into diet obsession videos, or a love of gaming clips leads to aggressive or violent content. Because the videos are so short and fast-paced, kids may not even realise the shift in tone before they’re deep into a stream of negative messaging that they can’t escape.

What parents can do: The good news is that when it comes to algorithms there are practical ways parents can minimise the risk. Most platforms have content filters that allow you to use them in a restricted mode or family-friendly mode and that should reduce any harmful content being served up.

Another really practical and effective way to reduce this risk is by monitoring their recommended for you feeds each week or even looking at them together and discussing with your child why certain videos or posts are coming up. While doing so educate them about not liking, clicking on or even pausing to look at content that feels wrong or makes them uncomfortable.

Limiting screen-time is also a really good way to stop kids going down a rabbit hole of content pushed by the algorithm. The less time they spend on an app, the less the algorithm can learn about their habits, likes and dislikes.

Oversharing: Why posting memes, selfies or livestreams could reveal too much

The threat: For kids posting online is usually fun and feels harmless, but there’s a fine line between uploading a silly selfie to suddenly revealing too much information about their lives. Oversharing can accidently give away key details that can be used maliciously by predators. A school logo on their PE kit when they’re on hockey tour, the front of their house or the street sign in the background of a selfie, or uploading pictures on holiday sharing exactly which hotel they’re in can all give away personal details to people who shouldn’t have them.

Even light-hearted social trends can be risky if they involve answering questions like “What’s your pet’s name?” or “What was your first teacher’s surname?”—details that can double as common security passwords. And once something is posted, it can be saved, shared or screenshotted forever, even if your child later regrets it.

What parents can do: Again, education is key here and before you allow your child to access social platforms you need to talk to them about their digital footprint and how once something is online it is out of their control.

Tell your child that they can show you any photos or content they want to upload first so you can check it for anything that could be used to identify them like a school badge, sign or location clue. And check who your child is friends with/ follows them and adjust the setting so that only people they know can see their content.

Teach them the golden rule of content sharing: pause before you post and ask “Would I be happy for my teacher/ grandparent/ future employer to see this?” If there’s any hesitation, then the answer is no!

And if your child is already in an oversharing habit, it’s not too late to act. Sit down with them and do a content audit – removing any posts that you both agree include too much information about their life.

The digital world will always bring new risks, and the sheer pace of change can feel overwhelming, but parents don’t need to feel powerless. By staying clued-up, setting simple boundaries and keeping the conversation open, you can help your child enjoy the best of the digital world (and there are many, we promise!) – without falling into its traps.