š Want to know what Iām doingā¦ AFP warns against ācatching a caseā to keep your kids safe in 2025
The AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) is urging parents and carers to decode the emojis, phrases and acronyms online offenders commonly use to target children and young people.
The AFP has today released an updated list of emojis and acronyms to help parents and carers better protect children and young people, many of whom will be accessing devices for the first time as school commences.
AFP Commander Human Exploitation Helen Schneider said with many young Australians heading to school with their own devices and mobile phones, now was the perfect time for parents and carers to instigate a āD&Mā (deep and meaningful conversation) about online communication.
"Emojis and acronyms are commonly used by Australian children and young people in online communication and are usually harmless fun, but some have double meanings that may seem trivial but can be quite alarming," Commander Schneider said.
"For example, the experience of our specialist investigators has shown that in some situations, emojis such as the devil face could be a sign your child is engaging in sexual activity online.
āMore worryingly, the phrase ācatching a caseā is being used by offenders to show their willingness to be arrested and charged for their abhorrent interactions against someone who is often underage or in a position of vulnerability.
āIt is very important parents and carers are aware of what kind of emojis and acronyms their children are using when speaking to people online, and what they might mean.
"It is important to stress that in most cases, it is probably nothing to worry about, but having open conversations with your children about their online safety can avoid the desire to embrace emojis and acronyms that might have more sinister meanings.ā
In the 2023-24 financial year, the ACCCE received 58,503 reports of online child sexual exploitation.
ThinkUKnow is an AFP-led resource that helps parents, carers, educators, children and young people develop good online habits that protect children and deter offenders.
It provides factsheets, videos, presentations, guides, the children's picture book Jack Changes the Game, home learning and family activities to help foster open discussions between children and their parents or carers.
"Electronic communication is constantly changing and it can be difficult for parents and carers to keep up," Commander Schneider said.
"That's why having a healthy dialogue with your children is the best defence you can have.
"Remember, if you suspect a child has been the victim of online child sexual exploitation, please don't hesitate to report it to the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000."
ThinkUKnow top tips for parents and carers
- Supervision is essential. This means knowing what your children are doing online, who they are interacting with and what platforms, apps or games they are using.
- Have open conversations, often. The most important tip we can give any parent or carer is to start talking to your child about their online activities. According to research commissioned by the ACCCE, only 52 per cent of parents or carers talk to their children about online safety.
- Check privacy settings. We recommend parents and carers research and understand app settings, including privacy settings. This could include turning off location settings, setting profiles to private, or turning off chat functions.
- Be approachable if your child needs help. Coming forward isnāt always easy, and children may feel reluctant to tell you about online issues if they believe they will be punished or have their devices taken away.
- Know how to report. If something goes wrong online, it is critical your child is supported. Parents and carers need to know how to take action.
Recent examples of emoji use
| Image | Icon short name | Sexting Inference |
|---|---|---|
 | Eggplant | Penis |
 | Peach | Buttocks |
 | Taco | Vagina |
 | Cat | Vagina |
  | Point + Okay | Intercourse |
 | Sweat | Orgasm |
 | Horned Devil | I'm Horny |
 | Bowl with spoon | Send nudes |
 | Cancer | 69 |
 | Corn | Porn |
 | Pizza | Cheese Pizza (CP - Child Porn) |
NOTE: This guide is meant to provide a broad overview because slang, acronyms, emojis and emoticons can have multiple meanings and be used in many different ways.
Glossary of emojis, emoticons and acronyms
| Text | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Catch a case | Willingness to be arrested and charged for something, often used in relation to sexual desire for someone who is much younger/underage |
| CD9 or Code 9 | Parents are around |
| DNI | Do not interact, especially as a warning of explicit/sexual content for under 18s |
| DM;HS | Doesn't matter; had sex |
| DPW | D*** pictures welcome |
| Down in the DM | Using private messages (DM=Direct Message) on social media to ask for nude photos and/or to filter through people to find a sexual encounter |
| GNRN | Get Naked Right Now |
| GNOC | Get Naked On Camera |
| LMIRL | Let's meet in real life |
| LMP | Like my pic |
| NIFOC | Naked in front of computer |
| NP4NP | Naked Pic For Naked Pic |
| P911 | Parent Alert |
| PIR | Parent in room |
| POS | Parent Over Shoulder |
| POV | Point of view, and often indicates a video is supposed to be filmed as if you're seeing it through someone else's eyes |
| Rule 34 | Any topic can be made into pornographic content |
| Snacc/Snack | A person you find attractive |
| Sneaky Link | Seeing someone for sex but you want to keep the relationship quiet |
| Smash | To have casual sex |
| TDTM | Talk dirty to me |
| 1174 | Nude club |
| 143 | I love you |
| 9 | Parent watching |
How to report online child abuse
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the ACCCE is driving a collaborative national approach to combatting child abuse.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now, or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and/or online exploitation, support services are available.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found on the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
For more information on the role of the ACCCE, what online child sexual exploitation is and how to report it, visit the ACCCE.
Note to media
Use of term 'CHILD ABUSE' MATERIAL not āCHILD PORNOGRAPHYā
The correct legal term is Child Abuse Material ā the move to this wording was among amendments to Commonwealth legislation in 2019 to more accurately reflect the gravity of the crimes and the harm inflicted on victims.
Use of the phrase āchild pornographyā is inaccurate and benefits child sex abusers because it:
- indicates legitimacy and compliance on the part of the victim and therefore legality on the part of the abuser; and
- conjures images of children posing in 'provocative' positions, rather than suffering horrific abuse.
Every photograph or video captures an actual situation where a child has been abused.
