UAB expert educating parents on teen cyberbullying, sextortion dangers [Video]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – From cyberbullies to online predators, the UAB Digital Forensics department is teaching parents about the dangers their kids face on social media.

“This goes beyond bullying,” said Laura McLester, an assistant professor and program coordinator with the UAB Digital Forensics Program. “There is sextortion happening online. What is that? They seemed engaged.”

McLester helped lead a talk in Calera on the subject.

She says predators are using real, and fake, profiles to build relationships with kids online.

They are then convincing them to send an intimate photo, which they use to exploit kids for money or even more photos.

“They’re turning it around and saying, ‘I have this image of you and now I’m going to spread it everywhere,’” McLester said. “The parents that we’ve talked to who have experienced this with their teenager, the scripts that are being used are so terrible. There’s not even an English word to …