Children in Finland are increasingly at risk of severe online exploitation linked to a loose cybercriminal ecosystem known as “The Com”, according to experts and police authorities. The warning comes amid growing concern over the network’s activities on social media and gaming platforms, particularly those popular with young users. Speaking to YLE News, Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, executive director of the NGO Protect Children (Suojellaan lapset), said Finnish children face a higher-than-average risk of online grooming, sexual harassment and coercion compared to their peers elsewhere in Europe. One key factor, she explained, is the very early age at which children in Finland typically receive smartphones. “Victims of online sexual violence in Finland are often extremely young — in some cases as young as five,” Vaaranen-Valkonen told Yle, warning that early unsupervised phone use exposes children to harmful content, manipulation and organised online crime. She stressed that a child’s ability to recognise risks in digital environments is not yet fully developed.
A new and particularly cruel threat
Authorities and child-protection organisations have raised special alarm in 2025 over The Com, which is not a single group but a constellation of interconnected cybercriminal networks. Active in at least 31 countries, including Finland, the network operates across social media and gaming environments such as Roblox. According to investigators, members of The Com engage in a wide range of crimes, from cryptocurrency theft and “swatting” to extreme forms of coercion. Children are allegedly threatened, blackmailed or manipulated into committing acts of sexual violence, self-harm, violence against others, or even torturing or killing pets — and then forced to record and share images or videos of these acts. “The perpetrators are often young themselves and operate in groups with a shared plan,” Vaaranen-Valkonen explained. “At first, everyone was friendly. Only later do the pressure, threats and blackmail begin.”
Police investigations ongoing
Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has confirmed that several children in the country have already fallen victim to The Com network. Multiple investigations are ongoing, though exact figures have not been released as cases have not yet reached prosecutors. According to information obtained by YLE, the Western Uusimaa Police Department is investigating a case in which a child under 15 was allegedly targeted between 2021 and 2023. German police are also probing a case in which a Finnish child may have been used as an intermediary in encouraging a 13-year-old in the United States to commit suicide. Describing the network’s methods, NBI Detective Inspector Jyri Hiltunen said earlier this year that the activities are “manipulative and extremely cruel.”
Support and prevention
The NGO ‘Protect Children’ provides support for victims and families and has published a wide range of English-language resources to help parents and caregivers recognise warning signs and respond effectively. Experts underline a clear message: children should not be allowed to communicate online with strangers, violent individuals, or significantly older youths and adults — and early digital freedom must be balanced with strong supervision and education to prevent exploitation.
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