OHIO FOCUS OF THE WEEK: Online Safety Crisis, Are Children Safe in the Digital World?
Following the death of Indiana teenager Hailey Buzbee, Ohio’s attorney general is urging parents to become more involved in their children’s online lives. Research shows that online risks extend far beyond gaming, raising urgent questions about how families, schools, technology companies and lawmakers can better protect young people.
Children today use the internet to learn, play games, build friendships and communicate with others. But the same digital spaces that create opportunities can also expose them to cyberbullying, manipulation, sexual exploitation and other forms of harm.
The case of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee has brought these concerns into focus in Ohio and neighbouring Indiana.
According to federal prosecutors, Hailey met Tyler Thomas, 39, of Columbus, online while playing video games, including Roblox and League of Legends. Her remains were discovered in Perry County, Indiana, in February after she disappeared from her home in Fishers.
A federal grand jury indicted Thomas on nine charges connected to her death in September 2026. He has pleaded not guilty, and the allegations have not been proven in court. The case remains ongoing.
Following the tragedy, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson urged parents to understand the platforms their children use, research their potential risks and maintain open conversations about online interactions.
However, Hailey’s case is part of a much wider discussion about children’s safety in an increasingly connected world.
What Do the Numbers Reveal About Online Dangers?
Statistics from child-protection organisations show why online safety deserves serious attention.
According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), its CyberTipline received more than 1.4 million reports concerning online enticement of children in 2025. This represented a 158% increase from the 546,333 reports recorded in 2024.
Online enticement involves someone communicating with a person believed to be a child online with the intention of committing a sexual offence. It can include grooming, coercion, sextortion and attempts to arrange in-person meetings.
NCMEC also received more than 80,000 reports involving sextortion in 2025. In these cases, offenders may threaten to share intimate images or other sensitive material unless a child provides money, additional images or something else demanded by the offender.
However, the figures require context. A report does not necessarily represent a unique child, and the increase was partly influenced by the 2024 REPORT Act, which expanded reporting requirements for electronic service providers. The figures therefore should not be interpreted as proof that the number of individual children targeted increased by exactly 158%.
Even with that qualification, the volume of reports highlights the importance of effective prevention, reporting systems and support for children who experience online exploitation.
Why Online Gaming Requires Attention
Online gaming is often viewed as entertainment, but many games also function as social spaces where players communicate through text messages, voice chats and private conversations.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned that offenders can use online games to build relationships with children, sometimes pretending to be friendly adults or other young players.
An offender might begin by discussing a game, offering assistance or giving virtual rewards. Over time, the conversation may move to private messaging, requests for personal information or inappropriate demands.
This does not mean that every gaming platform is dangerous or that every person a child meets online has harmful intentions. Rather, communication features can create opportunities for contact with people whose identities and intentions may be difficult to verify.
Parents should therefore understand not only which games their children play but also how those games allow users to communicate and whether privacy settings, reporting tools and parental controls are available.
Cyberbullying Is Another Major Concern
Online exploitation is not the only challenge facing young people.
A Pew Research Center survey published in 2023, based on research conducted in 2022, found that 46% of US teenagers aged 13–17 had experienced at least one of six forms of cyberbullying included in the survey.
These experiences included offensive name-calling, false rumours, unwanted explicit images and threats. About 32% said someone had called them an offensive name online, while 22% reported that false rumours had been spread about them.
The findings demonstrate that online harm can also come from classmates, acquaintances or other people within a young person’s social circle.
Cyberbullying can affect a child’s confidence, relationships and willingness to participate in school or social activities. Because harmful messages and images can spread quickly and remain accessible, children may struggle to escape the experience even after leaving the immediate situation.
Parents and teachers should take repeated harassment seriously and provide children with safe ways to report it.
Children Need Protection Without Losing Trust
Although monitoring children’s online activities is important, experts also emphasise communication.
The FBI’s online safety guidance for parents encourages adults to discuss online risks regularly, establish reasonable household rules and reassure children that they can ask for help without fear of blame.
Practical steps include:
- Learning which apps, games and messaging platforms children use.
- Reviewing privacy settings and limiting public access to personal information.
- Teaching children not to share their home address, school details, passwords or private images with strangers.
- Encouraging children to be cautious when someone online asks them to keep secrets, move to private chats or meet in person.
- Explaining how to block and report suspicious accounts and preserve relevant messages if an incident occurs.
- Making sure children know they can tell a trusted adult when something online makes them uncomfortable.
Parents should also avoid automatically punishing children who disclose an uncomfortable interaction. Fear of losing their devices or being blamed may discourage them from seeking help when they need it most.
What Is Ohio Doing to Strengthen Child Protection?
The debate has also reached Ohio’s legislature.
Senate Bill 379, known as Hailey’s Law, was introduced by state senators Michele Reynolds and Kristina Roegner. According to the Ohio Legislature’s official bill page, the proposal includes requirements relating to gaming platforms, a statewide camera-footage registry system and school instruction on grooming awareness and prevention.
The bill’s proposed measures address several aspects of child protection, including online interactions and the prevention of exploitation. Its status should be checked on the official legislative page for the latest developments; the published record lists it as a proposal rather than an enacted law.
Technology companies also have a role to play by improving reporting systems, enforcing age-appropriate safeguards and responding effectively when users report suspicious behaviour or exploitation.
The Bigger Question: Who Is Responsible for Children’s Online Safety?
Children should not have to navigate the digital world alone. Parents can provide guidance, schools can teach digital literacy, technology companies can improve safeguards, and governments can establish and enforce appropriate protections.
At the same time, online safety should not be reduced to fear or blanket restrictions. Children also need opportunities to learn, communicate and develop the judgement to make safer decisions as they grow older.
Hailey Buzbee’s case is a painful reminder of why these conversations matter. But lasting progress requires more than warnings after a tragedy. It requires consistent education, accessible reporting systems, responsible technology design and an environment in which children feel safe asking for help.
This week’s central question is simple: Are we doing enough to make the digital world safer for the children who use it every day?
