In today’s digital age, children are more connected than ever—using smartphones, tablets, and computers for learning, socializing, and entertainment. While the internet offers immense educational and creative opportunities, it also presents serious risks when not properly monitored. Cyberbullying, online predators, explicit content, and data privacy violations are real threats facing children every day.

The Risks

Children can easily stumble upon inappropriate websites, become victims of sextortion, or be approached by strangers on social platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, or Discord. Anonymous chat apps like Omegle and Whisper expose them to dangerous individuals who may exploit their innocence. Many platforms lack proper age verification, allowing underage users into adult environments.

Key Safety Concerns

Inadequate User Verification: Despite implementing a verification process requiring a school email or phone number, reports indicate that individuals can still create accounts and access student information without proper authentication. One parent demonstrated how easy it was to pose as a student and view class rosters and schedules, highlighting the app’s vulnerability to impersonation.

Exposure of Personal Information: By default, Saturn profiles display users’ full names, class schedules, and linked social media accounts like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. This level of visibility can make it easier for predators to gather detailed information about students’ daily routines and online presence.

Direct Messaging and Event Features: The app allows users to send direct messages and post on public bulletin boards about events, including who plans to attend. This functionality can be exploited by individuals with malicious intent to initiate contact or track students’ whereabouts.

Lack of Parental Controls: Saturn is exclusively designed for student use, with no provisions for parental oversight or involvement. This absence of adult supervision limits parents’ ability to monitor their children’s interactions and manage privacy settings within the app.

Discuss Online Safety: Engage in open conversations with your children about the importance of protecting personal information and the risks associated with sharing schedules and social media links.

• Review Privacy Settings: If your child uses Saturn, ensure their profile is set to private and that they understand how to manage their visibility and connections within the app.
• Monitor App Usage: Regularly check the apps your child uses and stay informed about their features and potential risks.
• Consider Alternatives: Explore other scheduling tools that offer robust privacy protections and parental controls to ensure a safer online environment for your child.

Given the current concerns surrounding the Saturn app’s safety measures, it’s crucial for parents to remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding their children’s digital experiences.

How to Secure The App

Keep your child’s schedule private Open visibility of your child’s class schedule may attract unwanted contact and attention from predators or bullies. It’s better to keep information private as much as you possibly can. One easy measure is to adjust the in-app privacy settings.

• Open the Saturn app on your iPhone or Android phone.
• Tap on the Profile icon (in the bottom right corner).
• On the next screen, scroll down to the toggle switch for Schedule Visibility.
• Switching the toggle on will allow everyone at your school to view your schedule, whereas switching it off keeps the schedule private.

🧱 1. Set Up a Safe Account

• Use a parent-managed email for the child’s account.
• Use a strong password and enable two-factor authentication (2FA).
• Be aware: Discord’s minimum age is 13 (or 16 in some countries per GDPR).

⚙️ 2. Adjust Privacy Settings

Go to: User Settings > Privacy & Safety

• ✅ Keep Me Safe: ON (scans direct messages for explicit content).
• ✅ Allow direct messages from server members: OFF
• ✅ Who can add you as a friend: Customize to “Friends of Friends” or OFF
• ❌ Use data to customize Discord experience: OFF
• ❌ Allow Discord to track screen reader usage: OFF (unless necessary)

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 3. Control Server Access

• Monitor what servers your child joins.
• Avoid public servers; opt for private or family-approved ones.
• Turn Explicit Content Filter ON for both DMs and servers.

🗣️ 4. Manage Communication

• Block or mute users who exhibit inappropriate behavior.
• Teach your child how to report harassment or offensive content:
• Right-click on message > “Report”
• Use Discord’s Block feature on strangers.

⛔ 5. Disable NSFW Content

• Discord automatically restricts NSFW channels for under-18 accounts.
• Confirm your child’s account is registered with the correct birthdate.
• Never allow use of third-party bots that bypass restrictions.

📱 6. Use Parental Controls

Use tools like:

• Qustodio, Bark, Mobicip, or Net Nanny
• These can monitor:
• Time spent on Discord
• Messages and screenshots (depending on device)
• Installed apps and activity logs

📆 7. Set Usage Limits

• Use built-in Screen Time (iOS) or Digital Wellbeing (Android).
• Block Discord access at night or during study hours.

🧠 8. Talk About Online Dangers

• Discuss risks like:
• Grooming
• Predators posing as kids
• Sharing personal info or photos
• Keep communication open and non-judgmental so your child feels safe telling you if something goes wrong.

Step 1: Log Into Their Account

• Go to  roblox.com, click “Log In,” and enter your child’s username and password.

Step 2: Enable Account PIN

• Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right and select Settings.
• Go to the Parental Controls tab.
• Turn on Account PIN and create a 4-digit PIN.
• This PIN will be needed to change safety settings later.

Step 3: Set an Accurate Birthdate

• Under Settings > Account Info, make sure your child’s real birthdate is entered.
• Children under 13 will automatically get safer chat filters and age-appropriate content limits.

Step 4: Turn On Account Restrictions

• Go to Parental Controls.
• Toggle Account Restrictions to ON.
• This locks access to pre-approved games and disables unfiltered communication.

Step 5: Disable or Limit Chat (Optional)

• Go to Settings > Privacy.
• Under Who can chat with me? or similar settings, select Friends or No one.
• You can also disable private messages entirely.

Step 6: Enable 2-Step Verification

• Go to Settings > Security.
• Turn on 2-Step Verification.
• Add and verify a parent’s email address.
• This protects the account from unauthorized access.

Step 7: Review Linked Devices & Sessions

• Under Settings > Security, scroll to the bottom.
• Check all active sessions and devices.
• Click “Log out of all other sessions” if something looks suspicious.

Step 8: Monitor Spending Activity

• Click on the Robux icon and go to My Transactions.
• View past purchases, game passes, and other spending.
• Consider using gift cards or monthly Robux allowances instead of open access to a credit card.

Step 9: Teach Your Child How to Report

• Show them how to:
• Use the Report Abuse button in games and on player profiles.
• Block users who behave inappropriately.
• Come to you if anything feels off.

Matthew Macatuno Naval (California, 2025)

• In April 2025, 27-year-old Matthew Macatuno Naval was arrested for kidnapping a 10-year-old girl from Taft, California. They initially connected through Roblox and later communicated via Discord. Naval was found with the child in his car at a strip mall in Elk Grove, over four hours from her home. He faces charges including kidnapping and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor .

Christian Scribben (Florida, 2025)

• Seventeen-year-old Christian Scribben was arrested in Marion County, Florida, after admitting to targeting four to five children daily on Roblox. He instructed minors to produce explicit content, sometimes involving their siblings, and used Discord to evade detection. Scribben faces multiple charges, including directing a sexual performance by a child .

764 Online Network (Global, 2025)

• An extremist group known as “764” has been reported to manipulate children on platforms like Roblox, leading them into abusive situations. Operating through gaming apps and social media, they have coerced minors into creating explicit content and even engaged in terror threats .

British Case Involving a 9-Year-Old Girl (2024)

• A British mother reported that her nine-year-old daughter was befriended by a predator on Roblox. The individual lured the child to Discord, where she was bombarded with sexually explicit messages and media. The incident underscores the risks associated with third-party communication platforms linked to online games .

Tony Rodriguez (Fairport, NY, 2025)

• Tony Rodriguez, 40, was arrested after attempting to meet what he believed was an 11-year-old girl he had communicated with on Roblox. He sent explicit messages and images, and arranged to meet the girl at a library, where he was confronted and later arrested.

David Ibarra (Anchorage, AK, 2025)

• David Ibarra, a 31-year-old U.S. Air Force member, posed as a 13-year-old boy to coerce a 9-year-old girl into sending explicit images through TikTok and Roblox. He paid her $191 via Apple Pay and was later arrested and charged with coercion and exploitation of a minor.

Michael Shablinger (Germany/UK, 2024)

• Michael Shablinger, 36, groomed a 13-year-old girl on Roblox, then flew from Germany to the UK to sexually abuse her. He was caught after the girl’s mother discovered their communications. Shablinger was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison.

13-Year-Old Boy’s Lawsuit Against Roblox and Discord (2024)

• A 13-year-old boy’s family filed a lawsuit against Roblox and Discord, alleging that lax safety measures allowed a predator to coerce the child into sending explicit images in exchange for in-game currency. The predator was later found to have exploited over 20 minors.

Eight-Year-Old Girl Targeted in Wilmington, NC (2022)

• An eight-year-old girl was approached by a predator on Roblox who asked for her phone number and later requested inappropriate videos via text messages. The incident was discovered by her mother, highlighting the risks of unsupervised online interactions