RCMP warns limiting screen time won’t keep kids safe from violent online groups

In a public post Tuesday morning the police force said these groups target young people on social media, gaming and streaming apps. The RCMP says members use grooming, blackmail and threats to control victims. Police say a child can go from first contact, to blackmail, to self harm in a matter of hours.
“Limiting screen time is not enough,” the RCMP wrote.
At the centre of the warning is a network the RCMP calls the COM, short for “community.” Police say it is a web of groups and people who glorify child sexual abuse, cruelty and gore. One group inside it is known as 764.
The RCMP says the people doing the targeting are often youth or young adults themselves. Many were victims first. They were then pressured to find a new victim of their own. Because they are also young, other kids are more likely to trust them.
Police say members often pose as a friend or romantic partner to earn a child’s trust. Then they push the child to send sexual images, harm animals, or hurt themselves. The abuse is recorded and shared, shaming the victim and making them feel trapped.
The list of warnings signs are long. The RCMP says parents should watch for a child who spends more unsupervised time online, pulls away from family, or covers their skin with long sleeves or bandages. Other signs include a family pet that is harmed or goes missing, anonymous gifts and asking for money more often than usual. Police say no single sign proves a child is being targeted, but several together can be reason for concern.
The warning is not the first from the RCMP. In December 2025, Canada because the first country to list 764 as a terrorist entity, a move the government said would strengthen its power to act. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said at the time that groups like that “prey upon people who are at risk, especially our youth.”
Southern Alberta has already seen a case. In February 2024 police in Lethbridge charged a 14-year-old boy after they said he became tied to 764. He was charged with making and distributing child pornography and an explosives-related offence. He could not be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Police urged parents to learn the apps their kids use and watch for changes in a child’s behaviour. Superintendent Matt Johnson asked parents to “trust your instincts by reporting anything that doesn’t feel right.”
The RCMP asked people to report concerns to Cybertip.ca or local police. Anyone who believes a child is in immediate danger should call 911.