"He's just an online friend": What is Online Grooming and How AI Helps Detect It

What is Grooming? (It's a marathon, not a sprint)

Grooming isn't a single event; it's a deliberate strategy that can last for months. The predator is a patient manipulator.

The scariest threat isn't what your child will see, but who they will talk to. Grooming is disguised as friendship, and regular filters are powerless against it.

Their standard steps:

1. First Contact: In game chats (Roblox) or TikTok comments. The predator starts a conversation on a common topic ("Hi! I play that game too").
2. Building Trust: They become the "best friend" who "really understands" the child, listens to their problems, and gives compliments.
3. Isolation: A key stage. The predator convinces the child their "friendship" is a secret ("Parents won't understand," "It's just between us"). The child starts hiding the conversation.
4. Escalation and Blackmail: Once trust is built, the predator asks for photos (innocent at first, then explicit). Once they have a photo, they begin blackmailing for more (sextortion) or to arrange a meeting.

"Red Flags": How to Suspect a Problem?

Because the process is hidden, it's important to notice indirect signs in your child's behavior: they quickly close a chat when you enter, or become overly secretive with their phone.

Verbal Flags (What the AI looks for):

These are the patterns parents don't see, but which the AI is trained to recognize in conversations:

• Isolation Phrases: "It's our secret," "Don't tell anyone."
• Personal Data Requests: "What's your address?", "When are you home alone?"
• Manipulation & Flattery: "You're special," "Only you understand me."
• Photo Requests: "Send me a pic," "You first, then me."
• Platform Switching: "Let's move to Telegram, no one will see us there."

Why Are Regular Filters Powerless?

Traditional parental controls block known bad sites or words (e.g., "porn"). A predator doesn't use those words. Their language is flattery and manipulation. The phrase "You're my best friend, send me a photo" won't be blocked by any standard filter. But this is the threat.

How AlionWeb's AI Solves This

AlionWeb is trained on behavioral patterns and models, not just keywords. Our AI doesn't just look for the word "photo." It analyzes the whole chain: Is the contact an adult? Are they using flattery? Are they trying to isolate the child? Are they asking for a photo?

When the AI sees a **match of several such patterns**, it classifies the dialogue as a high-risk suspicion of grooming and **immediately sends parents a notification**.