About this episode

Published February 16th, 2026, 06:28 pm

Online child exploitation is a criminal act that targets the most vulnerable people in our communities, kids and teens. Online child exploitation comes in many different forms, including online grooming, enticement and solicitation.

The REPORT act which passed in 2024 changed how we categorize these crimes.

Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar is a professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. She's a renowned expert in the psychosocial and technological factors associated with cybercriminal behavior, with a focus on the criminological characteristics and grooming strategies of online child sex offenders.

More episodes from The Metro

Social media links

Share this episode

EmailDownload

Subscribe

The Metro

Keeping kids safe online has become harder

00:00

30m