By Floyd Godfrey, PhD

When a teen sends pornography through Snapchat, first find out what was shared. Was it adult content, an image of your daughter, or an image of another minor? The distinction matters. Ask calmly, and do not ask your child to forward or display sexual images to you.

If an image or video depicts anyone under 18, do not copy, forward, or post it. Record relevant details such as usernames, dates, and messages, especially if there was pressure, a threat, an adult contact, or an attempt to obtain more images. Report the account and content through Snapchat’s reporting tools. NCMEC’s CyberTipline accepts reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation and can route information to the appropriate law-enforcement agency (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children [NCMEC], n.d.). If there is an immediate threat or an adult is involved, contact local law enforcement.

If your child’s own nude or sexually explicit image, created before they turned 18, may be circulating online, NCMEC’s free Take It Down service can help participating platforms identify and remove it. It creates a digital fingerprint from an image on the device; the image itself is not uploaded to the service. Do not download an image just to use the tool.

Reassure your child that asking for help was the right step, even if they made a poor decision. Shame and panic can make a young person hide what is happening. Let them know you will help address the sharing while also setting limits and teaching safer choices. The AAP advises listening without judgment, taking steps to protect the child, and monitoring changes in mood, sleep, and daily functioning (AAP, 2025).

Floyd Godfrey, PhD is a Certified Sexologist and a Certified Sex Addiction Specialist. He has been guiding clients since 2000 and currently speaks and provides consulting and mental health coaching across the globe. To learn more about Floyd Godfrey, PhD please visit his website: www.FloydGodfrey.com

References

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2025, March 13). Tips for parents: Deepfakes, synthetic pornography, & virtual child sexual abuse material. https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/media-and-children/center-of-excellence-on-social-media-and-youth-mental-health/qa-portal/qa-portal-library/qa-portal-library-questions/tips-for-parents-deepfakes-synthetic-pornography--virtual-child-sexual-abuse-material/

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (n.d.). CyberTipline. https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. (n.d.). Exploitation resources. https://us.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/exploitation-resources