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. 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. 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 developme.
