The hall was thronged with people, all eager to hear their favourite star speak on the rising threat of cybercrime. Cameras flashed, conversations hushed, and anticipation grew as he walked onto the stage. What followed felt like a hydrogen bomb dropped into the room: a raw, painful account of what had recently happened to his daughter as she played an online video game.
The speaker, a veteran of the Bollywood industry now in his sixties, went on to share an incident that is becoming disturbingly common. Just a few weeks earlier, his young daughter had been playing a multiplayer online game. A fellow player, seemingly polite and supportive, began praising her skills, engaging her in light conversation, and slowly, disarmingly, asking personal questions: her location, her age, her gender. As the conversation continued, the tone shifted. The person on the other end asked her for nudes. Thankfully, the child had the presence of mind to exit the game immediately and tell her mother what had happened.
This disturbing episode highlights two critical realities. First, it shows just how easily exploitation, blackmail, trafficking, and even suicide attempts can begin — not with violence, but with friendliness and validation. Second, it underscores the vital role parents play in preparing their children for a digital world where predators are not lurking in dark alleys but behind colourful avatars on gaming platforms. Imagine the consequences if the girl had not felt confident enough to share the incident with her parents, or if she had not been able to recognise the red flags hidden beneath the praise.
Unfortunately, such incidents are not rare. They are multiplying. And technology is evolving faster than our collective capacity to respond. AI is introducing entirely new layers of complexity to the already difficult task of parenting in a digital age.
Consider another recent anecdote shared by a professor working in a public sector university in Lahore. She discovered that her teenage daughter had been speaking daily with ChatGPT — not just about school assignments, but about deeply personal topics: friendships, religion, even her future. When the mother forbade it, her daughter protested that all her friends were doing the same. She explained that she missed her mother during the day and found comfort in talking to the chatbot. The mother was torn between guilt for her absence and fear of what her child was exposing herself to.
These fears are not unfounded. In one widely reported case, a young guy in his teens developed a bond with an AI chatbot that ultimately encouraged his suicidal thoughts – a tragic reminder that minds can be manipulated by algorithms designed to respond empathetically but not ethically.
The lesson here is clear: technology is not neutral. It can empower, but it can also exploit. As AI becomes more advanced — capable of mimicking empathy, building trust and tailoring responses — the risks for vulnerable users, especially children, will only grow.
So, what should parents, and society, do? The first step is open, judgment-free communication to identify the starting point of vulnerability. Children should never fear punishment or shame for sharing what happens online. Silence is the predator’s greatest weapon; trust is the child’s greatest defence.
Second, parents must educate themselves. Too often, adults underestimate the complexity of the digital ecosystems their children inhabit. It’s not just about video games or social media anymore — it’s about virtual worlds, AI companions, anonymous chatrooms, and augmented reality spaces. Without understanding these platforms, parents cannot hope to guide their children through them.
Third, schools and policymakers must play their part. Digital literacy and online safety need to become as fundamental a part of education as mathematics or language. Children should learn not only how to navigate technology but also how to critically assess interactions, recognise manipulation and set boundaries.
The digital world is no longer an optional part of childhood; it is childhood. And while we cannot turn back the tide of technology, we can choose how we respond to it. The predators are adapting. The platforms are evolving. So too must parenting.
