Blackmailed

About this episode

The episode explores the harrowing experience of a teenager named Sarah who faced blackmail from older men on social media and her journey towards healing with the help of Carol Todd.

Like a lot of lonely teenagers, Sarah found refuge on social media. In her lowest moments, she'd reach for her phone, connecting with strangers on Snapchat and Wizz – an app that's been called "Tinder for kids." But those digital friendships quickly became something more sinister. A torrent of older male users solicited her, and then, when she spurned their advances, blackmailed her. For years, Sarah's life was in turmoil. And then she met a woman named Carol Todd, who took her under her wing. Carol understood what Sarah was going through, because the same thing had happened to her daughter, Amanda Todd, more than a decade earlier. Now, Carol and Sarah are demanding change. What will it take to keep young women safe on the internet?

People in this episode

Guest: Sarah

Topics covered

• social media
• teenagers
• blackmail
• mental health
• internet safety
• advocacy

Keywords

• blackmail
• social media
• teenagers
• internet safety
• advocacy
• mental health
• Carol Todd

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Snapchat, Wizz, Toronto Star

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