CSPD and TESSA host free community event on protecting children online

The Colorado Springs Police Department's (CSPD) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and TESSA are partnering to host Digital Realities: Protecting Youth in the Digital Age, a free community event focused on helping parents and caregivers protect children from online exploitation and other digital threats.

The free event will be held on Sunday, August 23, from 4 to 7 p.m. at 5225 North Nevada Avenue. Admission is free, and refreshments will be provided.

Children and teens are spending more time online through social media, gaming platforms, artificial intelligence applications and other services that allow users to communicate. Although these technologies offer opportunities for learning and connection, they can also give offenders greater access to children.

Online predators may use popular applications and gaming platforms to build trust, request or manipulate children into sharing intimate images, or pressure them through threats and coercion. These interactions can develop quickly and may occur on platforms parents consider familiar or safe.

Educating parents and caregivers is one of the most important steps communities can take to prevent online victimization. Understanding the applications children use, maintaining open communication, and recognizing warning signs can help adults intervene before an unsafe online interaction escalates.

According to the Pew Research Center, 64% of teens report using artificial intelligence chatbots, with nearly one-third using them daily. A 2025 survey by child-safety nonprofit Thorn found that one in five teens and young adults had experienced sextortion. Thorn has also reported that one in five children ages 9 to 12 had some form of sexual interaction online with someone they believed was an adult.

"Our ICAC detectives work tirelessly to identify and hold accountable those who use technology to prey on children and teens," said CSPD Lieutenant Korey Hutchison. "However, these crimes of opportunity can often be prevented if parents and caregivers become a first line of defense. By learning about the platforms their children use, maintaining open conversations and staying involved in their online lives, they can help children recognize dangers, make safer choices and speak up when something does not feel right."

At Sunday's event, representatives from the CSPD ICAC Task Force, TESSA, Roblox and TikTok will discuss current online risks and provide families with practical strategies they can use at home. Topics will include:

• Online exploitation and digital grooming
• Sextortion and requests for intimate images
• Social media and gaming-platform safety
• Cyberbullying
• Artificial intelligence
• Digital dating abuse
• Healthy technology habits
• Warning signs of unsafe online activity
• Strategies for discussing internet safety with children

"Technology offers incredible opportunities for learning, creativity and connection, but it also creates new challenges for families," said TESSA CEO Anne Markley. "This event is about empowering parents and caregivers with the knowledge they need to have meaningful conversations with their children, recognize potential risks and build safer online experiences together."

CSPD encourages parents and caregivers to take an active role in their children's online lives. Adults should know which applications and platforms their children use, understand who they communicate with, establish clear expectations and remind children that they can seek help without fear of punishment if something online makes them uncomfortable.

Potential warning signs can include sudden secrecy surrounding devices, communication with unknown individuals, unexplained gifts or money, significant changes in online behavior, or fear and anxiety associated with receiving messages. While no single behavior necessarily indicates exploitation, parents should remain engaged and address concerns early.

Presenters will also discuss digital abuse, which is the use of technology to harass, monitor, threaten or control another person. Digital abuse can include pressure to share passwords or intimate images, excessive monitoring, online harassment, public humiliation, and threats to release private information. Recognizing these behaviors is an increasingly important part of protecting young people and promoting healthy relationships.

The event is intended for parents and caregivers, educators, school staff, youth-serving professionals, community organizations, middle and high school students, and anyone interested in youth online safety. Attendees will have opportunities to ask questions and connect with organizations that support children and families throughout the Pikes Peak region.

The Digital Realities event reflects the continuing partnership between CSPD and TESSA to prevent victimization through education, awareness, and community engagement. By bringing law enforcement, victim advocates, educators and technology companies together, CSPD and TESSA hope to provide families with information they can immediately use to create safer online environments for children.

For more information about the event or TESSA's Prevention & Education programs, visit www.tessacs.org or call 719-633-3819.