Durham police issue second warning about The Com online predator network targeting children Durham police warn parents about The Com, an online predator network targeting children on social media and gaming platforms. The group uses grooming, coercion, and intimidation, and a January school threat may be linked. Police in Durham Region are once again warning parents and guardians about The Com, an online group of predators that they say is targeting children in the area through popular social media and gaming platforms. Short for The Community, investigators say the group uses grooming, manipulation, coercion, and intimidation to exploit young people, which can lead to violent and or criminal behaviour. Offenders often build trust, create secrecy through fear or shame, and pressure victims into harmful or unsafe activities, police said in a statement issued Tuesday.Young Children Targeted On Gaming PlatformsChildren as young as eight years old are among those who have been targeted on apps and platforms like Discord, Telegram, Snapchat, Roblox, Minecraft, Twitch, and Steam, according to police. In a news release, police outlined how the group victimizes its targets, including building trust through friendship or romantic attention, and manipulating youth using fear, guilt, or intimidation.Police said the group coerces victims into harmful or unsafe activities, including creating or sharing inappropriate and exploitative images or videos, and engaging in self-harm or harm toward others or animals. Other tactics include displaying concerning usernames, symbols, or messages, and coercing children to participate in crimes such as hoax 9-1-1 calls known as swatting, online attacks, or sharing harmful content, often without realizing the seriousness of what they are being manipulated into.The group also forces compliance through threats such as exposing private information, doxing, or swatting, police said. Police have not released descriptions of any suspects who may be involved in the group. No arrests have been made at this point, police confirmed to CTV News Toronto in an email.Group Linked To Recent School ThreatThis is the second such warning about The Com this year and follows a threat directed at a Pickering school in January, which police previously said may have been connected to the group. William Dunbar Public School, near Dixie Road and Finch Avenue, was placed under lockdown for hours on Jan. 27 after a threat was made to the school over the phone.In a letter to families at the time, Durham Regional Police Chief Peter Moreira did not say exactly how The Com may have been involved in threats against the school, but said preliminary findings indicated the incident was connected to an emerging online threat affecting children and youth. Durham police previously said they did not believe there was any immediate public safety risk to students, staff, or the school community following the threat, but added an increased police presence around the school out of an abundance of caution.On Tuesday, police said they have recently responded to an undisclosed number of incidents in the community that are believed to be linked to The Com. As such, investigators are encouraging parents and guardians to watch for patterns or clusters of the following behaviours. Those include use of encrypted apps like Discord and Telegram without parental knowledge, withdrawal, secrecy, mood changes, or declining academic performance.Parents Urged To Watch For Warning SignsOther warning signs include increased or secretive use of phones or electronic devices, interest in extreme or harmful online ideologies, and new online contacts your child seems unusually attached to or afraid of. While one of these signs may not be of concern, multiple indicators together may warrant attention, police said.Anyone with information connected to the investigation, or who notices any concerning online activity or individuals on online platforms who may pose a safety risk, are asked to contact police at 1-888-579-1520.