Trump Administration Marks Second Anniversary of DHS Know2Protect® Campaign in Ongoing Efforts to Keep Kids Safe Online

Trump Administration Launches Powerful New PSA Warning Kids and Teens About Online Predators During Child Abuse Prevention Month

WASHINGTON - This April, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) marked the second anniversary of the Know2Protect: Together We Can Stop Online Child Exploitation™ (K2P) public awareness campaign. Know2Protect exists to protect children and families from online sexual exploitation and abuse.

Since its launch two years ago, Know2Protect has reached millions of families and communities across the country, helping to build a safer digital environment for America's children. In recognition of the campaign's growing national impact, DHS designates the third Wednesday of every April as Know2Protect Day - a day to raise awareness, encourage conversations and inspire action to prevent online child sexual exploitation and abuse.

"Parents and guardians have a responsibility to protect kids online and the Trump Administration is committed to providing those adults with the best resources possible to prevent predators and other bad actors from taking advantage of their children," said Secretary Markwayne Mullin. "Know2Protect is an invaluable resource and is one of the many ways DHS carries out its duties to protect and defend the Homeland-especially those most vulnerable among us."

The Know2Protect campaign, led by the DHS Cyber Crimes Center and operated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), now includes more than 30 signed partners and more than 600 Campaign Champions across both the public and private sectors. Industries represented include technology, gaming and social media, as well as youth-serving organizations, law enforcement associations, major sports leagues and non-governmental organizations.

Nationwide reach, real impact

The campaign has achieved more than 1.2 billion impressions through strategic and proactive engagement on its social media channels, paid and donated advertising, earned media, and various partner and influencer activities. The campaign has also reached millions through its educational initiative, Project iGuardian. This broad outreach has ensured that people of all ages are receiving important information about online safety and how to protect kids and teens from exploitation.

To mark the campaign's anniversary and in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Know2Protect launched a powerful new PSA to remind kids and teens that not everyone they meet online is who they say they are.

The PSA warns that many online predators will present themselves as a teen boy or girl to groom, exploit and abuse them. This PSA is based on an HSI case. The perpetrator, Kendall Carter, was sentenced in 2018 to 30 years in federal prison for sextorting dozens of kids and teens, including some victims as young as 12 years old.

View the PSA on know2protect.gov or on the DHS YouTube Channel.

The scale of these dangers is significant. According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, in 2025 alone, the CyberTipline received 21.3 million reports that included more than 61.8 million images, videos and other files related to suspected child sexual exploitation.

From awareness to action and reporting

Over the past year, Know2Protect has moved beyond raising awareness, empowering people to take real steps to protect kids and teens online. In August 2025, the campaign launched its nationwide call-to-action, Pledge2Protect. It encourages people to keep kids and teens safe online by taking the pledge, which includes a commitment to implement online safety measures, share resources and report suspected online abuse.

More than 300,000 people have taken the Pledge2Protect - including more than 280,000 teens. The Know2Protect website, know2protect.gov, has directed more than 2.3 million people to information about online threats, how to take action and how to report suspected abuse.

"Snap congratulates the Department of Homeland Security on the second anniversary of its impactful Know2Protect campaign," said Jacqueline Beauchere, Global Head of Platform Safety at Snap, Inc. "As the first entity to support Know2Protect, we've commissioned research, provided free ad space and developed interactive tools like the Snapchat Lens to promote learning and engagement. We remain committed to working with DHS to educate youth, parents and communities about the risks of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, and to help empower families to stay safe."

"Creating a safer online experience for young people requires a unified, sustained effort between government, industry, and others," said Antigone Davis, Meta's Global Head of Safety. "We remain committed to equipping parents and teens with essential safety tools and are particularly proud of our work with the Department of Homeland Security's Know2Protect campaign."

Expanding public service announcements and outreach

Know2Protect's messages have reached millions through campaign influencers, partners and Know2Protect Campaign Champions. Country music artist John Rich hosted a virtual Project iGuardian presentation with an HSI special agent, reaching over 3 million views on X. Women's professional soccer player McKenna "Mak" Whitham, a 15-year-old star athlete, recorded educational videos for kids and teens.

Her "Top 10 Tips2Protect for Teens" video series has more than 470,000 views, and her Pledge2Protect PSA has surpassed 4 million YouTube views. The National Police Athletic League (PAL), a signed partner, helped solidify Know2Protect's partnership with Whitham, amplifying outreach to youth nationwide.

"National PAL is committed to helping youth in the 200 communities we serve stay safe in cyberspace," said Dr. Stephen M. Coan, President and CEO of National PAL. "Through our partnership with Know2Protect, we are engaging youth in greater awareness of online threats and providing them with skills to stay vigilant and safe within online environments. We are pleased to continue our partnership with Know2Protect as a founding member of this important and impactful initiative."

"Families must stay vigilant and informed," said Know2Protect Influencer John Rich.

Rich was one of the first campaign influencers to take the Pledge2Protect and then pass it to his followers via a video clip on his X account.

"Know2Protect gives parents and kids the tools they need to recognize online dangers, report concerns and protect each other," he added."Take and pass the Pledge2Protect today, right now, in fact. Your commitment to protecting America's kids is crucial in preventing these predators from victimizing children online."

Education leading to real results

Through Project iGuardian, Know2Protect delivered large-scale, online safety education both in the United States and internationally in countries such as Colombia, India, and Vietnam. As the official in-person training program of the Know2Protect campaign, Project iGuardian is led by HSI and offers presentations to kids, teens, parents, and trusted adults. Since its re-launch in October 2023, Project iGuardian presenters have delivered over 2,860 presentations, reaching more than 261,000 people both domestically and internationally.

During and after these presentations, it is not uncommon for kids and teens to disclose potential online child sexual exploitation. When such disclosures occur, they are promptly reported to the appropriate authorities for investigation.

Those identified as victims are provided with the care and support they need. As a result of these efforts, these presentations have led to 189 victim disclosures, 220 investigative cases and 135 arrests.

To enhance these trainings, Know2Protect partnered with Our Rescue to invite Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 teams to support iGuardian presentations, conferences, and events. Our Rescue-trained law enforcement K9 teams delivered eight ESD K9 demonstrations that showed how trained dogs help law enforcement locate hidden electronic storage devices linked to child sexual abuse material investigations, strengthening audience engagement and understanding.

"Congratulations to DHS on the continued success of Know2Protect," said Our Rescue CEO Derek Benner. "We're honored to showcase our Electronic Storage Detection canine program alongside Know2Protect - whether it's during iGuardian presentations, at conferences or in the community. These dogs not only help law enforcement, but they also captivate audiences and make the dangers of online exploitation real and memorable. We look forward to continuing this important partnership."

Longtime partner Scouting America has helped expand Know2Protect's reach by awarding more than 1,000 specialty co-branded Know2Protect patches to Scouts who participate in Project iGuardian presentations. These patches serve as both an incentive and a symbol of commitment to online safety - reinforcing key lessons and empowering youth to take an active role in protecting themselves and their peers online.

"Keeping young people safe online requires informed, prepared adults and empowered youth," said Glen Pounder, executive vice president and chief safeguarding officer of Scouting America. "Through Know2Protect, Scouts, parents and troop leaders gain practical tools to recognize risks and make safer choices online. We value this partnership and look forward to continuing our work together to reach more Scouts, families and trusted adults in 2026 and beyond."

Know2Protect worked closely with newly signed partner Boys & Girls Clubs of America to expand educational awareness about online safety for Club adults and youth nationwide. By partnering on presentations and exhibits at national and regional conferences, the campaign provided critical resources and training to help Club leaders, mentors, and members strengthen their efforts to keep kids safe online.

"Boys & Girls Clubs of America commends Know2Protect on its second anniversary," said Mike Belcher, national vice president and child safety & quality assurance officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "The campaign's resources have made a real impact for our Club kids, leaders, and mentors. Through nine iGuardian presentations at our conferences in Chicago, San Diego, and five regional conferences, we've reached more than 1,000 Club leaders - helping them take action to protect kids online and ensure every child has a safe environment to learn and grow."

New partnerships strengthen the campaign

This year, Know2Protect welcomed signed partnerships with 13 new technology companies, gaming platforms, youth-serving organizations, law enforcement associations, major sports leagues and non-governmental organizations. These partnerships are vital to the campaign's mission of empowering families and protecting children online.

Over the last year, Know2Protect's current partners achieved notable milestones:

• Major League Baseball displayed campaign awareness posters at the 2025 All-Star Week and added Know2Protect to its MLB Together website.
• NASCAR driver Joey Logano collaborated with Know2Protect on PSA for parents and trusted adults.
• Snapchat published a Pledge2Protect Bitmoji Lens marking a fun and engaging way for teens to show they've taken the pledge.
• Meta created a unique Pledge2Protect profile frame for Facebook users to show they took the Pledge2Protect. Since August 2025, more than 22,000 people have downloaded it, showing their support.
• The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is featuring Know2Protect awareness posters at their U.S.-based training facilities, held virtual iGuardian presentations for USOPC staff, and included Know2Protect information in the Team USA delegation app for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.

Upcoming initiatives

Looking ahead, Know2Protect is launching new programs and activities to reach more people and give youth, families, and partner organizations more ways to get involved and help keep kids and teens safe online. The campaign will:

• Work with survivors to shape our message: Partner with survivors, their families, and other trusted voices to inform current and future campaign materials and share real stories.
• Create and share engaging videos: To reach more people - especially young audiences - where they spend time online, making online safety tips more accessible.
• Grow our influencer network: Bring in new influencers, including youth creators and micro-influencers, to share Know2Protect messages with their followers.
• Expand Project iGuardian presentation program: Train and equip state and local law enforcement partners to deliver Project iGuardian presentations, allowing the campaign to reach more communities and educate more kids and teens about staying safe online.
• Engage youth voices: Work with TikTok's global Youth Council - teens who advise on platform safety and digital well-being - to get real-world insights from young people, making the campaign's prevention messaging more relevant and effective for teens navigating today's digital world.

To learn more about how your organization can become an official Know2Protect Partner or Champion, visit here.

Early intervention saves lives. If you suspect a child is a victim of online child sexual exploitation, visit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline.™ If a child is abducted or in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement and the NCMEC Tipline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

For more information, resources, and to take the Pledge2Protect, visit know2protect.gov.

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