Video chat

Video chatting is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family, both one-on-one and in group video chats.

Video chatting can be really helpful in understanding how people are feeling because you can see someone’s facial expressions and body language, as well as hear what they are saying. Written messages can sometimes be misinterpreted. Seeing someone on camera can help resolve issues in friendships and relationships.

You might also want to video chat with people you have met online. There are lots of people online who genuinely just want to get to know you. But there are a few people who use video chat to ask young people to do things they aren’t comfortable with.

There are some things you can look out for that might indicate the person you’re video chatting with does not have good intentions.

Look out for people who:

• Convince you that it’s okay to talk to them about sex
• Pressure you to send nudes or take your clothes off on a video chat
• Blackmail you into doing what they want. For example - threatening to share a nude video chat recording with your friends and family if you don’t do what they say.
• Ask you to keep your video chats a secret

If anyone has pressured you into doing something you didn’t want to do on a video chat, it is not your fault. Report it to CEOP – the child protect advisors will understand what you’re going through and help to make it stop.

• Know where you can go for help. It’s never okay for someone to pressure you or make you feel uncomfortable. If this happens, speak to an adult you know and trust like a family member or a teacher. You can also speak to support services to get confidential advice.

• Consider what the other person can see. The background of your call, what you’re wearing, and your location settings can give away lots of person information. If you have only met the person you’re talking to online, make sure they don’t have information which they could use to hurt you.

• Only video chat with people you know and trust. It can be easy to give away lots of personal information when you feel comfortable talking to someone on video chat. Talking only to people you know and trust will help to make sure private things about you aren’t shared widely.

If anyone is pressuring you through video chat, block and report them to stop them contacting you.