Law enforcement agencies and researchers across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are warning parents about a rise in online grooming and recruitment attempts targeting children and teenagers, often beginning in video games and social media chats before escalating into manipulation and coercion. Two recent Canadian cases involving teenagers illustrate how these interactions can lead to serious criminal investigations, though officials stress that most children contacted by strangers online are not involved in criminal activity themselves.
How the Grooming Process Reportedly Unfolds
According to a report cited from CBC News published November 9, 2026, extremist and violent networks-including a group identified as "764," which investigators link to a broader online ecosystem known as the COM network-use flattery and fabricated friendship to build trust with young users. Police describe a pattern that starts with ordinary conversation on gaming or messaging platforms and gradually shifts toward private channels, where pressure, secrecy and manipulation increase. In some cases, this escalates into blackmail or coercion tied to self-harm or harm to animals or other people.
Recent Cases in Alberta Underscore the Concern
The RCMP announced on November 3, 2026, the arrest of a 17-year-old in Alberta tied to an investigation that began in February and involved online communication with accounts linked to ISIS; the matter is now proceeding through the courts under a terrorism-related threat charge. In a separate case on September 28, police in Lethbridge charged a 17-year-old in connection with activity on Discord and an alleged link to the 764 network, with charges spanning terrorism, child exploitation and animal cruelty. Investigators emphasize that these specific prosecutions do not mean every child who exchanges messages with unfamiliar online accounts is engaged in wrongdoing; rather, the cases illustrate how grooming can, in rarer instances, lead to serious outcomes.
What Families Can Watch For
Police point to several behavioral signals that may warrant closer attention, without suggesting any single sign confirms a problem:
- Sudden secrecy around phone or computer use
- Withdrawal from friends, family or usual activities
- New online relationships accompanied by visible fear or anxiety
- Exposure to violent material or unusual requests through games or apps
The RCMP recommends calm, ongoing conversations with children about the apps and games they use, rather than reactive monitoring alone, and encourages young people to tell a trusted adult if they face threats or coercion online. Suspected child exploitation can be reported in Canada through the Cybertip.ca platform, which is operated independently of police but works alongside law enforcement referrals.