Police warn of online networks targeting children

Durham police are warning that “The Com,” an online network of predators, is grooming and coercing children and teens—some as young as 8—through social media, messaging, and gaming platforms. Police say offenders build trust and then use fear, shame, threats, or blackmail to pressure young people into sharing exploitative images, self-harm or harm to others, or participating in crimes such as online attacks and hoax 911 calls known as swatting. Investigators are examining possible links between the network and recent school-related threats, including a swatting incident that prompted an Oshawa school lockdown and earlier threats at a Pickering school. Police have not announced arrests, and they urge caregivers to stay engaged with children’s online activity and take signs of coercion or threats seriously.