RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – As online predators increasingly target South Dakota youth through social media, gaming apps, and messaging platforms, a statewide anti-trafficking organization is stepping up efforts to protect families from digital exploitation and sextortion.
Call to Freedom is partnering with Avera and Homeland Security Investigations to host “Keeping Kids Safe Online” on November 3 in Sioux Falls. The free, hands-on workshop is designed for parents, caregivers, and teens to learn practical strategies for preventing and responding to technology-facilitated abuse.
“Our hope is that attendees walk away with really concrete tools and resources, like the knowledge on how to check their privacy settings, on how to start conversations with young people in their life about internet safety, and how to use important tools and resources like the Take It Down tool,” said Rachel Foltz, director of program and prevention services for Call to Freedom.
One of the key resources highlighted in the training is the “Take It Down” platform, operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
The platform allows individuals under 18—or adults who had explicit images taken of them while they were minors—to anonymously remove nude or sexually explicit images and videos from the internet without ever uploading or exposing the material itself.
When a user reports content, the tool generates a unique digital fingerprint, known as a hash, directly on the user’s device.
“The image never leaving the person’s phone, it’s actually going to create a unique digital fingerprint… to create this unique ID, and that ID alone will be shared with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,” Foltz explained. “Where they then share that with all participating platforms such as Meta, Facebook, Instagram… if this image ever ends up posted on their platforms, they will immediately report it and take it down.”
Foltz emphasized that the reporting process is fully anonymous and protects the victim’s identity. Anyone seeking to use the tool can visit takeitdown.ncmec.org
Foltz cautioned that predators often seek out youth on everyday platforms, including Snapchat, Instagram, Discord, TikTok, Roblox, and standard messaging apps like iMessage, as well as digital payment platforms like Cash App and Venmo.
Because victims often fear getting in trouble, they frequently conceal exploitation schemes from parents. Foltz urged caregivers to watch for behavioral red flags, including:
-Sudden secrecy around phones, devices, or social media accounts
-Social withdrawal and isolation from family routines
-Unexplained gifts, money, rides, or digital gaming currency
-Excessive screen time or messaging unidentified individuals
-Severe changes in mood, including panic, anxiety, depression, anger, or expressions of self-harm
“Fear of retribution, fear of getting in trouble, fear of getting grounded… often prevents people from coming forward,” Foltz said. “A really simple but profound piece of advice that we’d love to give to parents and caregivers is have that conversation with young people now to say, ‘Hey, if you ever end up in a situation where someone’s got an embarrassing picture of you or an embarrassing message, even if you sent it, please come talk to me. My main goal is making sure that you’re safe.’”
Due to federal rules regarding recorded investigative content, the November 3 workshop will not be livestreamed. However, Call to Freedom maintains offices in both Sioux Falls and Rapid City and plans to expand the in-person training west to Pennington County and other communities across the state.
Beyond educational workshops, Call to Freedom provides more than 65 tailored services for victims and families navigating the aftermath of exploitation, including physical and digital safety planning, crisis intervention, legal advocacy, and mental health referrals.
Families seeking support can contact Call to Freedom directly at (605) 759-3565 or visit calltofreedom.org
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