Is your child safe online? Kerala teen’s case exposes dangers of dating apps
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A shocking case from Kerala has brought to light the alarming dangers lurking behind online dating apps. A 16-year-old boy from the state recently became the victim of a horrifying crime that underscores the growing threat of digital exploitation among minors.
Police have arrested and charged 14 people, including government employees, for allegedly sexually assaulting the teenager after befriending him through a dating app. Investigations revealed that the boy, who is now safe, had been using fake profiles to stay active on the platform for nearly two years.
Authorities say such cases are far from isolated. They fall into a growing pattern of crimes that police frequently encounter through their Digital De-addiction (D-DAD) initiative, a state-led programme designed to identify and rehabilitate children addicted to online gaming, social media, and pornography.
Launched in 2023, D-DAD is the first programme of its kind in India. Currently, six centres operate under the initiative in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode, and Kannur. Encouraged by positive responses from parents, schools, and child rights activists, police now plan to expand the initiative to Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Palakkad, Malappuram, Wayanad, Idukki, and Kasaragod by the end of the 2025–26 financial year.
Official data shows that between March 2023 and July 2025, D-DAD centres handled 1,992 cases of digital addiction, including 571 cases involving children addicted to online games.
According to Sooraj Kumar M. B., Nodal Officer of the Student Police Cadet (SPC) Project in Ernakulam and Coordinator of the district’s D-DAD centre, the project has provided timely intervention for hundreds of children.
“The trend we observe is that boys are mostly addicted to online games, while girls are more drawn to social media platforms. Our counsellors provide practical strategies to overcome these habits and actively involve parents in the process,” he told PTI.
One of the programme’s biggest achievements, Sooraj said, is changing parental attitudes toward mobile phone addiction. “Earlier, many families refused to recognise mobile phone use as an addiction, unlike alcohol or drugs. Now, with more cases being reported, parents are realising that digital addiction is real — and they want their children to recover from it.”
The state government recently renewed contracts for counsellors whose terms expired in July 2025 and has initiated the recruitment of additional staff to meet growing demand.
Concerns over excessive mobile and internet use among children were also raised in the recent state Assembly session. Responding to a question by MLA K. J. Maxi, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan revealed that 41 children had died by suicide between January 2021 and September 9, 2025, due to the misuse of mobile phones and the internet. He added that during the same period, 30 children were booked in connection with sexual and narcotics-related crimes linked to online activities.
Cyber law expert and Cyber Suraksha Foundation founder Advocate Jiyas Jamal described D-DAD as a model initiative that other states should replicate but warned that the growing misuse of dating apps by minors presents a serious concern.
“Dating apps are becoming increasingly popular among teenagers, even though they are meant strictly for users above 18. Weak verification systems allow underage users to access these platforms, which are fast turning into hubs for illegal activities and child exploitation,” Jamal said.
He noted that many of these apps operate from servers abroad and aggressively promote themselves through targeted advertisements on social media. “Platforms that host such ads must also be held accountable. Just as the Centre has introduced regulations for online gaming, similar stringent rules are needed for social media and dating apps,” he added.
According to Jamal, minors are often trapped, blackmailed, and exploited through such platforms. “In several cases, parents only discover the danger after losing money. Some children are exploited for pornography or drawn into the narcotics trade,” he said.
Beyond police efforts, the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department and the Education Department are also running multiple programmes to help children and parents tackle digital addiction.
WCD officials said the Our Responsibility to Children (ORC) initiative has been introduced in 1,227 schools across Kerala to raise awareness about digital addiction and related issues. In coordination with the Education Department, psycho-social counsellors have been appointed in 1,012 schools to offer professional guidance and support to affected students.
“Apart from this, we have also started parenting clinics at the block panchayat level. Another project, Vulnerability Mapping, is being implemented in a panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram district to identify children at risk and take preventive measures,” a WCD official said.
As Kerala intensifies efforts to safeguard children from the dark side of the digital world, this case serves as a grim reminder of the hidden dangers behind the screen, and the urgent need for vigilance, awareness, and stronger regulation.
With PTI inputs