What Is "The Com"? A Parent's Guide After the Sky News Investigation
Sky News exposed a violent online network grooming children through games and chat apps. What The Com is, the warning signs, and practical steps to protect your child.
A note before you read
This article covers a difficult subject: online groups that push children towards self-harm and sexual abuse. We've kept it calm and practical, with no graphic detail. If your child is in danger right now, call 999. If you or your child need to talk, Samaritans are available on 116 123, any time.
What has Sky News uncovered?
In October 2026, a Sky News investigation into "The Com" was screened in Parliament, hosted by Jess Phillips MP. The documentary, made by correspondent Adele Robinson with Sam Doak and Lauren Hardaway, shows how children are groomed, manipulated and drawn into increasingly harmful behaviour, and how that journey often starts in ordinary gaming and social apps.
MPs, police and online-safety experts, including the Institute for Strategic Dialogue and the Molly Rose Foundation, discussed what technology companies and government must do next. One message came through clearly for parents: these communities adapt, move and reappear, so home habits matter as much as platform rules.
What is "The Com"?
"The Com" (short for community) is not one group or one app. It is a loose, international network of online groups, sometimes linked to a subgroup known as 764, whose members coerce young people into sharing sexual images, harming themselves or hurting others. The UK's National Crime Agency has described the threat as "unprecedented" and reported investigating around 200 cases in 2026.
What makes it different from older forms of grooming:
- Many members are children themselves. Teenage boys often target younger children, especially girls.
- Status, not money. Harmful content is traded as "social currency" inside the groups.
- Threats keep children trapped. Once a child has shared something, they are blackmailed into doing more, with threats against them or their family.
How do children get drawn in?
Families in the Sky reporting described a very ordinary start. One mother explained that her son began on Roblox at eight or nine, then moved to Discord to share game tips. "I always felt like he was safe," she said.
The pattern police in the UK, US and Canada describe is similar:
- First contact in a mainstream space such as a game chat, a server, a comment section or a group.
- Friendship and flattery. The child feels seen, included or special.
- A move to private messaging, often Discord, Telegram or video-enabled apps, away from moderation and parents.
- Escalation. Requests become sexual or violent, then threats begin.
Children aged 5 to 12 are increasingly online in exactly these first-contact spaces, which is why the early years are the best time to build protective habits.
Warning signs to watch for
No single sign proves something is wrong. Look for a cluster of changes:
- Secrecy about apps, friends or games, or a second hidden account
- Using devices late at night or claiming to "watch YouTube" at odd hours
- Extreme distress, or threats of self-harm, if a device is taken away
- Sudden withdrawal from friends and family, poor sleep or weight loss
- Unexplained injuries, wearing long sleeves in warm weather
- Disturbing drawings, symbols or language they have not used before
- New online "friends" you have never heard of, or gifts and in-game currency from strangers
What to do if you're worried
- Stay calm and listen. Children stay silent because they fear punishment or losing their device. Tell them clearly: "You are not in trouble. We will fix this together."
- Don't delete anything. Keep messages and usernames as evidence, but never forward or save sexual images of a child.
- Report it. Contact the police (999 in an emergency, 101 otherwise) or CEOP. The IWF and Childline's Report Remove service can help get images taken down.
- Get support. Childline (0800 1111) for children, Samaritans (116 123) and the NSPCC helpline for parents.
- Tell the school. Their safeguarding lead can help and may spot patterns across pupils.
Prevention: practical habits for every family
One mother interviewed by Sky said her advice to other parents is to "delay access to the internet and use as many parental controls as possible." Prevention isn't about spying; it's about reducing the moments when a child is alone, tired and unsupervised online.
- Devices out of bedrooms at night. Late-night use is when grooming escalates and children are most vulnerable.
- Know their games and groups. Ask which servers, games and chats they join, and play alongside them sometimes.
- Turn off chat with strangers in Roblox, Minecraft and consoles, and keep Discord and Telegram off younger children's devices.
- Talk early, talk often. Explain that people online may pretend to be friends, and that threats are never their fault.
- Agree a family "get-out" phrase they can text you if something feels wrong, with no questions asked in the moment.
How Young Minds App helps
No app replaces a trusting relationship, but the right settings remove much of the opportunity.
| Risk highlighted in the investigation | Young Minds App feature |
|---|---|
| Late-night contact and escalation | Bedtime mode blocks everything except Always Allowed apps |
| Unknown apps and private chat platforms | Choose exactly which apps are allowed, by category |
| Harmful websites and content | Content filtering and safe browsing |
| Children removing controls | Advanced protection |
| Not knowing if an app is safe | Ask Protego gives parents red, amber or green app ratings |
| Recognising manipulation | Protego missions and lessons on online safety and kindness |
| Conversations about what happened | Supports you, but the talk has to come from you |
Young Minds App costs less than a coffee a month on the yearly plan, and you can try it free for 7 days.
Download on the App Store ยท Get it on Google Play
Parents also ask
Is my young child really at risk?
Most victims are teenagers, but first contact often happens much earlier in games and chat apps. Building safe habits at 5 to 12 makes the teenage years far safer.
Should I ban Roblox or Discord?
Not necessarily. For younger children, turn off chat with strangers on games and keep private messaging apps off their device. Revisit as they grow, together.
Will monitoring damage trust?
Be open about the rules and why they exist. Children accept boundaries better when they helped set them and know you're on their side.
Where can I watch the documentary?
It is available to stream on Sky News. It contains distressing themes, so watch it without children first.