February 6,2026
RED FM News Desk
The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) has stated that investigations are underway into incidents of child exploitation linked to several schools in the area. According to police, these cases may be connected to an online predatory network called The Com (The Community), which targets children.
Police say this group gains children’s trust through grooming, manipulation, coercion, and intimidation. Children as young as 8 years old are being targeted, and contact is made with them through platforms like Discord, Snapchat, Roblox, Minecraft, and Telegram.
Children are being forced, through threats or fear, to share inappropriate images/videos, engage in self-harm, or participate in crimes such as swatting. In some cases, they are also threatened with doxxing or having their private information exposed.
Also a recent report from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) highlights a significant increase in severe online violence directed at children, especially girls,across social media platforms and messaging apps.”
New report warns of surge in extreme online violence against children, specifically girls in Canada
Police have advised parents to stay alert. Police emphasize that while a single warning sign may not indicate a problem, clusters of concerning behaviours should raise red flags. These may include secretive use of phones or electronic devices, withdrawal from family or friends, mood changes, declining academic performance, or sudden interest in extreme or harmful online ideologies. Parents are also urged to watch for the use of encrypted messaging apps without their knowledge and new online contacts their child appears unusually attached to ;or afraid of. Parents are encouraged to have open conversations with their children about online safety and to monitor their online activity.
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