Welcome lizaMartin, I’m so sorry this is happening—these sites (which connect users with other users at random for one-on-one conversation through IM or video chat) are simply not for minors (which is probably why run-of-the-mill curiosity compels some kids to seek them out).

There’s no way of saying how (or even if) your local police will take on a case like this, since laws/priorities vary so greatly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. You could contact the CyberTipline for advice at 800-843-5678 – they take reports about unsolicited obscene material sent to minors and deal with law enforcement from all over the country.

The tough part is you’re not totally sure what your daughter’s role was in all this. Now that a little time has passed, can you sit down again with her for a good two-way conversation? Explaining your concerns in a calm, thoughtful way may help her to open up about some of the details (and help build even better parent-child communication, which is a parent's best tool for keeping their child safe online). These docs - here and here - offer some good fodder for discussion. Going forward, I would encourage you to have regular, low-key discussion about online experiences (just as with offline ones) to make it easier for her to talk with you when "bigger" things come up.

I hope this helps. Please come back and let us know how it goes (believe me, there are lots of other parents experiencing some of these same issues right now).

Maureen

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Maureen Kochan
ConnectSafely community manager