SAFE BY DESIGN · EPISODE 16

The Secret They Asked Me to Keep

Children don't need to work out who someone really is online. They need to know which requests always mean: tell a grown-up.

On Thursdays Arjun went to Nani's after school. The tea was on, the radio was too loud, and he was cross-legged on the kitchen floor building a castle in his game.

All week, one player had been leaving him messages. Friendly ones: lots of praise for his builds, and a small in-game gift on Tuesday. Arjun had liked that.

Then a new message asked him to keep their chats a secret from his parents. When he didn't answer straight away, another line came, the kind meant to make him feel bad for even hesitating.

Arjun looked at the screen for a while. Then he stood up, carried the tablet across the kitchen, and held it out.

“Nani, someone wants me to keep a secret from Mumma.”

Arjun, 9