From Being Groomed to Healing: Harrison's Journey Toward Digital Intentionalism 

On today's episode of "Internet Safety with Donna Rice Hughes"-- Donna is joined by

Harrison Haynes who shares his personal story of being groomed while playing video games online and his journey toward healing and digital intentionalism. They discuss big tech’s inability to protect children online and stress what parents need to know to protect them from harm.

Related Topics: See Enough Is Enough's Quick Guides on topics shared including:

Online Gaming 101 and Pornography 101. Also, see our "Online Grooming" section.

-- or listen online --

Watch a Preview of the Podcast:

I was experiencing a lot of turmoil as a fifth, sixth grader, transitioning into middle school ...I found a lot of solace in online gaming... I finally met a friend, his name was Adam, I was 12 years old. We played games like anybody else did. He was 19 years old at the time... he started sending me pornographic content. He would send me stuff from the internet... I would wake up in the morning and play games and go to school and come home and play games and watch porn. And like, that was my life."

- Harrison Haynes, Digital Intentionalism Advocate, Survivor Consultant

 By the numbers:

• Younger and younger children being targeted “on an industrial scale” by internet groomers. In 2021, there was a three-fold increase in imagery showing 7–10-year-olds who have been targeted and groomed by internet predators. (Internet Watch Foundation, January 2022)

• Smartphones remain the most used device for gaming – 64% of active players use a smartphone to play games and 12% of players exclusively use a smartphone to play games. Video game players identify as about half female (46%) and half male (53%) (Entertainment Software Association, 2023)

• 73% of teen respondents age 13 to 17 have watched pornography online—and more than half (54%) reported first seeing pornography by the time they reached the age of 13 (Common Sense Media, "Teens and Pornography, 2023)

'Internet Safety with Donna Rice Hughes' is available Thursdays at 2 pm ET on Voice America Radio Network. You can watch the podcast anytime at your convenience either through our podcast page or the podcast platform of your choice.

'Internet Safety with Donna Rice Hughes' is dedicated to equipping parents and guardians with up-to-date information, practical tips, and expert insights on a range of pressing topics. Hosted by Donna Rice Hughes, President and CEO of Enough Is Enough® (EIE) and a renowned internet safety expert, each episode will feature discussions on online predators, sex trafficking, pornography, social media, online gaming, Big Tech accountability, and current legislation designed to protect children in the digital age.

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We Can't Keep Children & Families Safe Online Without You!

Enough Is Enough® is a national non-partisan, non-profit organization who has led the fight to make the Internet safer for children and families since 1994. EIE's efforts are focused on combating internet p*rnography, child sexual abuse material, sexual predation, sex trafficking and cyberbullying by incorporating a four-pronged prevention strategy with shared responsibilities between the public, corporate America, government and faith community.

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