"Can You Send Me a Photo?": A Game-Based Approach for Increasing Young Children's Risk Awareness to Prevent Online Sexual Grooming

Hidden in the Park is a mixed-media board game with augmented-reality tablet components, designed to raise risk awareness among children aged 8 to 10 about online sexual grooming. Its design rests on an analysis of roughly 500 pages of real child-offender chat logs, which identified recurring manipulation strategies including flattery, bribes, coercion, and threats. Rather than relying on frightening or explicit content, the game gives children a controlled, first-hand experience of a friendly digital contact who gradually becomes deceptive and pressures them to share photos, followed by a structured teacher-led discussion.

Development proceeded through iterative testing with a small group of children and an expert reference group. This process revealed that adult assumptions about what makes a game fun often diverged from children's own preferences, prompting adjustments to aesthetics and language. The final prototype was well received by both children and experts, with the design deliberately aligned to the visual and interactive conventions of games children already play.

The authors evaluated the game on site with 70 children aged 7 to 12 across three Swedish schools in fall 2018, and across four successive versions. Observations and group interviews indicated that participants found the game primarily enjoyable while also prompting reflection on their own online behavior. Some younger children complied with photo requests when offered rewards such as mini-games or coins, a finding that underscores the intended risk-awareness purpose. Older children aged 11 and 12 recognized the danger more quickly, suggesting the game is best suited to the 8 to 10 age range and requires basic reading ability. Early problems with cluttered graphics and lengthy text were resolved through redesign.

The authors conclude that the game is a valuable complementary tool for prevention education. Its planned free distribution to Swedish elementary schools in 2019 positions it as a practical resource for classroom use.