The Safer Not Scared Weekly · October 20, 2026
A sextortion case, what gaming parents worry about, and where KOSA stands
This week the FTC went to court over a company it alleges sold deceptive sextortion "help", UK research showed what parents worry about most in online games, and your state section covers what is happening where you live. A short step at the end takes about ten minutes.
U.S.: FTC sues operator of a paid "sextortion help" service
The FTC alleges a company charged families $1,499 to $20,000 per service package for "sextortion assistance" and made false and deceptive promises. A federal court has temporarily halted the defendants' activities while the case continues. These are allegations, not findings.
Arkansas: Attorney General sues OpenAI over ChatGPT safety, including for minors
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin sued OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, alleging it told Arkansans ChatGPT was safe while hiding known risks. The complaint says minors used ChatGPT to get self-harm instructions. These are allegations; nothing has been decided.
What we’re watching in Indiana: Parental consent for social media under 16 starts January 1
Indiana's House Enrolled Act 1408 will require parental consent before children under 16 can open accounts on covered social media platforms, and restricts addictive features for those accounts. It takes effect January 1, 2027, about ten weeks from now.
World: UK research: strangers top parents' online gaming worries
Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, reports that 64% of parents of 3-17s who game online are concerned about their child talking to strangers through games or chat. This is UK research, not U.S. law, but U.S. kids use similar games and chat settings.
This week’s family step: Check who can message your child in their games
Sit down together for ten minutes, open the games they play most, and look at the chat and friend settings. Choose who can message or play with them, and agree on a simple rule about people they have not met offline. Our games page links to guides covering chat, friend requests and spending.