Spotting Predators Online (Girlypop Version)

your guide ❤

What is the “Girlypop Version”? 💅

This is the same as our Spotting Predators Online article, but written in a satirical style. The subject matter is serious and the advice is genuine. The tone is intended to be silly, lightly based on current and former internet trends.

red flags and what the flip??

isolating you and being fake (brother, ew) 💩

We all know the goal of a predator is to basically ruin your whole vibe. One of the top ten moves they’re gonna try to pull is the isolation tactic. Basically, they’re gonna want you to hang out with them and not other people.

They’re gonna take up all of your time and probably stop interacting with others as much once you hang out with them 24/7. They want you to hang out with them privately so nobody else sees what they’re doing to you. Gross. Red flag.

being two-faced but like, seeming like a silly sigma at first 😡

Picture this: you meet someone online who seems normal (a little quirky maybe, but slay tbh bc we’re quirky too) and y’all get to chatting. You hit it off and they want to talk privately. Okay, cool!

But once you’re hanging out with them one-on-one (virtually ofc) they’re way different? It’s suddenly like they’re a whole different human. Sometimes predators slowly change overtime, but tbh most of the time they’re like, “oh hey I’m normal let’s chat” and then next thing you know it’s all, “here’s a funny thing that’s kinda almost NSFW but you seem cool”. Again, ew. No. Bad.

BUT THE REAL WEIRD THING!! These people want to vc and ft and then they’re insanely different?? They’ll say stuff and do stuff in a call that they wouldn’t do over text (like talk about adult stuff or ask you invasive questions) and then it’s MEGA awkward but you don’t want to be rude so it feels like you have to go along with it. They’re doing that bc they don’t want anyone else to know or see evidence of what they’re doing. 😦 RED FLAG!! BLOCK BLOCK BLOCK!!

being way too nosy, even if it seems normal at first 👀

Predators like sharing info about themselves (usually bc it’s fake 💀) and then trying to make you share stuff too just bc they said whatever personal stuff first. Stuff like, “hey idk anything about you but you know what I look like,” LIKE BRO IT DOESN’T MATTER THAT YOU SENT THOSE CRUSTY SELFIES!! YOU’RE NOT GETTING ONE BACK 😭

Bro is doing that to make you feel like you have to do it too and newsflash, you do NOT 💪

secrets are only for pookie-pies 🤫

If you’re like me you probably love to yap about everything with the people you’re closest to, but this person is not it!! If they’re trying to create this whole sharing-secrets or just-between-us thing ask yourself, “who even is this??” Like, they might try to say stuff to you that seems kinda sus but they’ll be like, “I trust you 🥺” which is nice for them ig but again, do you even know them?

Tbh they’re gonna take whatever you tell them and hold it against you (which is creepy fr) and then if you try to be like “hey, maybe you’re a creep” they’re gonna hit you with the “do you want everyone to know about that thing you told me?” because again, this person sucks.

They’re also probably gonna ask you to do weird stuff or push your boundaries and be like “boo-hoo I’m sad cheer me up by doing something you already said you didn’t want to” to which you can honestly just block and move on bc what even is that behavior?

Things seem normal but then it’s not anymore? 🤨

You know when someone likes someone and they do that thing where they’re like “hey can I ask you something?” and then it’s like, a confession or smth? Predators try to do that too. They’ll ask those types of questions and act kinda depressed or nervous and try to get you to violate your boundaries or send them pictures or messages you normally wouldn’t. Creep. Not demure. Not mindful. Block.

ASKING FOR PICS?? 😨

BACK TO THAT CRUSTY SELFIE!! Look, even if they sent you a picture of themselves first you STILL DO NOT NEED TO SEND THEM A PICTURE OF YOURSELF!!

Please, bestie, I am BEGGING do not do it. Don’t do it. It’s a trap. They don’t need to know what you look like or whether you have an acne flare right now or not 😭 don’t be sending people pictures of yourself at all unless you REALLY know them (like in-person or for a super long time and have mutual friends and stuff).

THEY’RE GONNA BLACKMAIL YOU, GIRLY!! This applies to the not-girlies too but this is the girlypop version of this post so I gotta use those terms. The point is they’re gonna keep whatever pictures you send them for like, ever. Genuinely. It’s so insanely creepy. Don’t send it. Sometimes these disgusting freaks try to find out where you live and stuff or like, find your family on Facebook too. Just don’t give them that fuel no matter how normal they seem at first.

the friend-zone game (not clickbait) 😳

“it’s okay though we’re just friends” ARE WE THOUGH?? I don’t remember the last time a “friend” asked me to do actually insane stuff online with them like that (unless you count spamming facebook mom minion memes at 3am, idk). If they’re pulling this one, they’re for the garbage bin. Don’t trust this crap.

Next up is the “you’re so smart” “you’re different than other girls” “you’re so mature for your age” (guys I’m exhausted from listing creep moves, I need a vacation) this is literally all just creep-language for “I’m gonna manipulate the HECK out of you” bc they’re trying to make you feel attached to them smh. Block.

Okay, fine, I’ll be honest. We all like to hear nice things. We’re gonna feel special when someone says that stuff, but still it’s not worth the drama or the trauma. Block and tell your actual friends to say nice things to you instead (or play Roblox with you to fill the void).

the sob story (skibidi) 😐

I just put skibidi there bc how am I supposed to fit that into this post naturally?? 😭 anyway they’re gonna be like “my parents hate me” or “my friends left me” or “everyone thinks I’m ugly and nobody wants to go out with me” which yeah, okay, that’s all very sad (if it’s even true) but that’s still not your problem. You have girlbossing to do elsewhere. Tell them to go to mental health is health and leave it at that. Their problems are not your problems, ESPECIALLY IF THEY’RE OLDER THAN YOU!! GROSS!!

wanting you to be unhinged 🤡

Creeps want to ruin stuff for you. If they can get you to block your friends or stop hanging out with people you used to be close to, then you’ll be attached to them and talk with them more. Don’t listen to the haters (the haters are the predators, they actually smell so bad it’s rank, ew).

acting like they can’t socialize with people their own age 🧓

okay stop, do some math with me (DON’T STOP READING PLEASE LOL)

How old are you right now? How old is this person? How much older than you is this other person? 4 years? 2 years? 6 years?

Ask yourself this: at your age right now, would you speak to someone that much younger than you in the same way that this person is speaking to you?

OPEN FOR A RANT 🔥

Here’s an example: let’s say that you’re 15 right now and maybe this person is 17.
That might not seem like a big age gap, right? In some ways, it’s not, but a lot changes in the human brain over two years!

Think about the messages this person is sending you or the way they’re speaking to you in voice chat. Imagining that you’re 15, would you speak that way to a 13-year-old?

Sure, there are plenty of things a 15-year-old is ready for that a 13-year-old is not, but we’re talking about the ✨ dynamic ✨ between two people and how that age gap creates a power imbalance.

This isn’t specific to minors either.
Let’s say I’m writing this article at the age of 27.
Imagine if I – a whole grown adult – begin a relationship with someone who is 40. In some cases that’s awesome, but in this article we’re talking about stinky, nasty, predator scumbags.

At 27, a 40-year-old could still be a predator to me. This would be someone with more life experience than I have, who could take that knowledge and twist my trust of them into a power imbalance.

A creep might claim that others their age don’t like them, don’t vibe with them, or that they just don’t get along with their peers. RED FLAG!!!!! Why would a whole generation of people not like someone??? 😨 Sounds fake imo.

A creep might even take on an older-sibling or parental role in your life to make sure you don’t think their behavior is creepy. Because surely if it’s coming from such a platonic place, it couldn’t be… horrying and traumatic grooming, right? Right? WRONG! NOT EVEN IN OHIO!!

chat, is this fr? 😔

Let’s be real for this one. Do your friends or family hate this person?

It’s hard to hear bad things about people you like, but sometimes it’s good to take a step back and think about whether or not there is justification for someone to be warning you about the person you’re interacting with.

If your friend, family member, or someone else you typically trust shows concern about someone else that your socializing with, it’s always a good idea to take a moment to establish whether they are coming from a place of genuine care or not.

If that’s coming from someone whose opinion you typically respect, consider talking with them about how you’re feeling and why it’s difficult for you to separate from this person, if that’s the case for you.

What You Can Do To Stay Safe

Avoid interacting privately with people you don’t actually know
Don’t accept friend requests or DMs from people that you don’t know
Talk to people you trust when you start to notice red flags
Report illegal behavior (like NSFW content being sent to or requested from minors) to the platform that this behavior takes place on (Discord, Instagram, etc.)
Review our 7 Discord Safety tips
Don’t share your age publicly
Don’t share information about where you live
Don’t share photos of yourself with users you just met, or in public settings
Set boundaries with unknown adults and avoid interacting privately with them
Remember that you don’t really know who you’re interacting with at some stages and it’s important not to get caught up in the moment and share more than you normally would

Getting Help and Recovering

Talk to people about it
Consider therapy if it’s accessible to you
Write or create art about your experience
Take a break for a while to focus on yourself and self-care
Talk with people who have been through this too
Spend time with friends or family
Have empathy for yourself. We all want to feel loved and interesting. There is no shame in having been in these circumstances. 💗