digital kidnapping

{{hatnote|Not to be confused with identity theft, the use of another person's identity for personal advantage.}}

Digital kidnapping is the theft of a minor's photos, posing as them, or posing as their parents.{{Cite web|url=https://www.parentmap.com/article/kidnappers-kids-photos-digital-kidnapping-social-media|title=The Growing Threat to Your Kids Online|website=ParentMap|language=en|access-date=2020-03-06}} DK is commonly done to reveal private or sensitive information that negatively impacts the child's life, making it difficult to gain acceptance to college, or subjecting them to bullying. In rare cases, a kidnapper may assume the identity of a parent, making the impostor's followers believe that they are the child's parent. By posing as a peer or authority figure, adults may also gather information about minors, and use it in real world crimes, such as kidnapping.{{Cite web|last=Gallagher|first=Sean|date=2014-11-20|title=12-year-old's online life brings an abductor to her doorstep|url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/11/12-year-olds-online-life-brings-an-abductor-to-her-doorstep/|url-status=live|access-date=2020-03-06|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141121022419/http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/11/12-year-olds-online-life-brings-an-abductor-to-her-doorstep/ |archive-date=2014-11-21 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/15/tech/virtual-kidnapping/index.html|title=Virtual kidnappings are rattling families across the US|author=Samantha Murphy Kelly|website=CNN|date=15 May 2019|access-date=2020-03-06}}