Events are categorised as Grooming when a moderator sees communication that appears to be with person 18 or older to:
- Desensitise and normalise a minor to sexual discussion or imagery
- Establish trust with a minor by offering sympathy
- Encourage a minor to share contact or identity information
- Request images or video from a minor
- Attempt an offline meeting with a minor
The risk levels are identified as follows.
| Level | Reason |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Statements the user has made including information they’ve given about their life on one occasion in recent history leads us to suspect that the user is 18+ and the potential victim they are talking to is under 18 |
| 2 |
Suspected adult (18+) has been talking to a suspected under-18 user in recent history, asking lots of personal non-sexual questions about their lives that would establish vulnerability - such as parental divorce, unhappiness at home, time left alone, unsupervised computer access, whether bullied, and what they look like Suspected adult (18+) has attempted to give social media or messenger contacts several times in recent history with suspected under-18 user |
| 3 | Suspected adult (18+) has attempted to give suspected under-18 user email address or phone number once in recent history or has asked suspected under-18 user for email or phone number once in recent history AND risk level 2 behaviour a couple of times in recent history with suspected under-18 users |
| 4 |
Suspected adult (18+) has asked some general questions about sexual experience of suspected under-18 user once in recent history Has attempted giving or requested email address or phone numbers with several suspected under-18s in recent history AND exhibits risk level 1 and 2 behaviour in any category |
| 5 |
Suspected adult (18+) has attempted to organise an offline meet or has given or received locatable information with suspected under-18 user Suspected adult (18+) has engaged in explicit sexual discussion or offered or requested sexual or naked images with suspected under-18 user Suspected adult (18+) has asked general questions about sexual experience of suspected under-18 users several times in recent history AND has exhibited risk levels 2 and 3 behaviour in any risk category |
