Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
Every day, children log onto the internet, entering a world filled with both boundless opportunities and potential dangers. The turning point in Graeme Page’s life came just as he was about to turn 18. It was then that he faced a heart-wrenching tragedy: his girlfriend Nicole took her own life after becoming a victim of financial sextortion, which led to her intimate images being maliciously exposed to her friends and family. This devastating event plunged Graeme into deep grief and irrevocably changed the course of his life, redirecting his entire focus towards combating such cybercrimes.
Understanding sextortion: A growing epidemic
The FBI explains that sextortion involves coercing minors to create sexually explicit content, after which the offenders then threaten to publicize the compromising material unless the victim provides more explicit content for their own personal pleasure. With financially motivated sextortion, the criminals focus on extortion for monetary gain rather than solely sexual satisfaction.
- From October 2021 to March 2023, the FBI received over 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion of minors.
- These incidents involved at least 12,600 victims and led to at least 20 suicides.
- Researchers are attributing a 1,000% increase in incidents over the past 18 months.
- A nationwide survey indicates that 5% of US youth have been victimized in this manner.
Legislative success and educational foundations
Graeme’s commitment to digital safety, bolstered by his role on the board of the Safe Surfin’ Foundation, played a crucial role in the unanimous passage of West Virginia Senate Bill 466. This legislation mandates social media safety education across the state, which is delivered through Skyll’s innovative educational movie games, YOURspace. The success of this bill marks a significant legislative victory and paved the way for the development of the Cyber SWAT curriculum in collaboration with the Safe Surfin’ Foundation, the Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces, the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and West Virginia state legislators, setting the stage for a broader educational impact.
Skyll’s pioneering approach: The YOURspace game
Responding to the urgent need for effective digital safety education, Graeme spearheaded the creation of Skyll, unveiling the YOURspace game. This revolutionary AI-powered “movie game” transforms traditional learning by making every student the main character in interactive stories, allowing them to navigate challenges and make narrative-altering choices as their in-game avatar.
The YOURspace program and its curriculum are developed by the Safe Surfin’ Foundation in collaboration with the Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Forces, the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and West Virginia state legislators. This collaboration ensures the curriculum is deeply rooted in the latest law enforcement insights and practices, enhancing its effectiveness and relevance.
Key features of the YOURspace game:
- Interactive scenarios: Players navigate through various dilemmas that mimic real-life online interactions, making critical decisions that teach them about internet safety.
- Dynamic content: The game updates regularly to incorporate the latest social media scams, ensuring that the educational material is always relevant.
Building on this foundation, Skyll’s library of movie games deliver different expert curricula, with YOURspace focusing on social media safety education. Teachers can use Skyll Studio, powered by AI, to dynamically regenerate movie game scripts for tailored curriculum delivery across various ages, backgrounds, cultures, and neurodivergent needs. As Page explains, “The latest social media scams shape our curriculum, keeping it up-to-date and effective.” By accommodating diverse needs, YOURspace aims to be a beacon of inclusivity in digital education.
Building a coalition for change
To amplify the impact of these educational efforts, Page established the Deputy Coalition, a dedicated group of influencers united in their mission to eradicate cyber crimes against children.
Graeme recognized that influencers have the power to shape opinions and behaviors, especially among the youth. By leveraging the reach and influence of these content creators, the Deputy Coalition aims to transform social media platforms into arenas of safety and advocacy. The coalition members, including major influencers like Sierra Furtado and Niki Victoria, are carefully selected for their commitment to online safety and their ability to engage with their audiences authentically and effectively.
Each member of the Deputy Coalition brings a unique strength to this mission, embodying the ethos of peers protecting peers. Through their platforms, they share educational content drawn from the YOURspace curriculum, illustrating safe online practices and raising awareness about the realities of digital threats.
From meme page to global movement
Reflecting on his journey, Page recalls his humble beginnings at eleven years old with Fallen Angel (formerly The Relatable Company), initially a meme page on Twitter. It quickly gained traction, exploding to 4.5 million followers and attracting major brands like Disney, Warner Bros, and Fashion Nova. Under Page’s leadership, what started as a single meme page evolved into a comprehensive influencer collective and a full-scale marketing agency, generating over a billion impressions per month. Leveraging his social media expertise and influence, he modified his mission to form the Deputy Coalition and drive the passage of crucial legislation, laying the groundwork for a safer digital future.
Looking to the future
As Skyll prepares for its rollout in U.S. schools this September, Page’s ambitions are not just national but global. His goal is to see Skyll’s programs adopted worldwide to combat the epidemic of online predators and cybercriminals targeting vulnerable children. “We are not just educating; we are equipping the next generation with the tools they need to navigate the digital world safely,” Page asserts.
Graeme Page’s journey from a social media marketer to a global advocate for child safety on those platforms is a powerful testament to how personal experiences can drive significant societal benefits. Through Skyll, he is not only shaping how children learn about digital safety but also fostering a global movement to ensure a safer digital future for children everywhere.
