What to do if your child saw something upsetting
Most kids will see something they wish they hadn't at some point—on any app. What helps most isn't a perfect filter. It's a parent who reacts in a way that makes the next conversation possible.
1. Pause first
Take a breath before reacting. Your first response sets whether your teen tells you the next time something happens.
2. Talk before punishing
Ask what they saw, how they came across it, and how it felt. Try to listen for longer than you talk. Punishment can come later if it's actually warranted—disclosure has to come first.
3. Use the in-app tools
Report the content or account in the app. Mute or block the source. Walk through the steps together so your teen knows how to do it next time without you. For serious reports, write down the username, approximate time, and what happened, but don't repost, forward, or save harmful content just to document it.
4. Know when to escalate
If something looks illegal, involves a minor, or feels like it's escalating offline, contact Divine support and, when appropriate, local authorities. Do not download, save, repost, forward, or share suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Use the in-app report flow or Divine support so Divine can review and, where required, report apparent child sexual exploitation to the appropriate reporting channel or authority. Trust your gut on this one.
For serious or time-sensitive reports, use the report flow in the app and reach out via Divine support, and call local emergency services if someone is in immediate danger.
But you don't have to take our word for it
These are some resources we recommend. Inclusion here doesn't imply endorsement of every recommendation from these organizations. Read them with the same critical eye you'd bring to any single source—including this one. A few are global; most are from North American or UK sources.
Family guidance and conversation tools
Common Sense Media—Parents' Guide to Social Media
Plain-language explainers, age-by-age guidance, and reviews of the apps teens actually use.
Internet Matters (UK)
UK-based equivalent of Common Sense Media—app-by-app guides, age-by-age advice, and practical online-safety tools for parents.
ConnectSafely Parent Guides
Short, practical guides to specific apps and online-safety topics, written for non-technical caregivers.
Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI)
Research, policy work, and family resources focused on a culture of responsibility in the connected world.
Children and Screens
Research-backed resources from the Institute of Digital Media and Child Development on how screens shape child development, with practical guidance for parents and educators.
Screen Sanity
Parent-to-parent guidance—conversation starters, family templates, and decision frameworks for navigating screens at every age.
Reporting harms or getting help
INHOPE
Global network of reporting hotlines—find the right place to report illegal online content in your country.
Child Helpline International
Directory of crisis helplines for kids and teens by country—for the moments when your child needs to talk to someone right now.
Thorn for Parents
Thorn is a nonprofit that builds technology and research to defend children from online sexual abuse. Their parents' site offers conversation-first guidance on tough topics like sextortion, grooming, and nudes.
Divine is in the app stores. If you want to try it alongside your teen, start here.
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