Millions of young children and teenagers are on social media, but it’s not all fun and games. It can be deadly serious if users are not careful, experts say.

Predators have mastered the art of disguising themselves and luring children into their web, activists say, and sites such as Instagram and TikTok are popular hunting grounds.

Sarah Cooper would know: She was groomed online and abducted by someone she thought she knew.

Lynn Shaw, a producer and public relations specialist, also realized how vulnerable children were during the height of the pandemic. After representing an author who wrote about the trauma of abuse, Shaw said she began researching human trafficking. She then established “Lynn’s Warriors” last fall to help parents stay vigilant.

“You have to be committed as that parent, as the trusted adult, to put these filters on your child’s devices. It takes a lot of work and a lot of energy,” Shaw said. “We’ve got to beat the predators, and they’re winning right now. It’s up to us to be a warrior for our own children.”

Shaw warns parents about the threats predators make.

“The number one threat we see once a child has sent these sexually explicit images is, ‘If you don’t do more, I’m going to tell your parents,’” she said. “And that is what causes children to go down this slippery slope.”