The risks when children arrange to meet someone in person that they first met online, and how to reduce the danger.
One of the most serious risks in child safety is when a child arranges to meet someone in person that they first encountered online. Groomers specifically work towards this goal, building trust over weeks or months before suggesting a face-to-face meeting. But even genuine peer friendships formed online carry risks when transitioning to in-person meetings if proper precautions are not taken.
A person — often an adult posing as a young person — builds a relationship with a child online through gaming, social media, or messaging. Over time, they gain the child's trust and encourage secrecy. Eventually they suggest meeting in person, often framing it as natural and exciting. The child, who feels they know and trust this person, agrees — sometimes without telling any adult. Even in genuine peer situations, meeting someone whose real identity you cannot verify carries inherent risks.
1. Establish a family rule about meeting online contacts
Agree that your child will never meet someone they have only spoken to online without telling you first. Frame this as a safety rule, not a trust issue. Explain that even genuine friends deserve a proper, safe first meeting.
2. Discuss grooming tactics openly
Age-appropriately explain that some adults pretend to be young people online in order to meet children. Discuss the tactics they use: excessive flattery, gift-giving, encouraging secrecy, and gradually normalising inappropriate conversation.
3. If they do want to meet someone, make it safe
If your teenager wants to meet an online friend, accompany them or arrange the meeting in a busy public place during daylight. Verify the other person's identity through video call beforehand. Let another adult know the plan. Never allow a first meeting in a private location.
Last reviewed: 2026-03-29