The Department of Homeland Security’s Know2Protect campaign marks two years of fighting online child sexual exploitation — with 1.2 billion impressions, 135 arrests, and a new PSA that every parent needs to see.
Every parent knows the internet is not always a safe place for kids. But knowing it and knowing what to do about it are two different things. The Department of Homeland Security’s Know2Protect campaign was built to close that gap — and two years in, it is one of the most far-reaching child safety initiatives the federal government has ever launched.
This April, DHS marked the second anniversary of Know2Protect: Together We Can Stop Online Child Exploitation, a national public awareness campaign led by the DHS Cyber Crimes Center and operated by Homeland Security Investigations. The numbers behind it are staggering — and so is the threat it exists to fight.
The Scale of the Problem
In 2025 alone, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline received 21.3 million reports containing more than 61.8 million images, videos, and other files related to suspected child sexual exploitation. These are not abstract statistics. They represent real children — in your community, in your school district, in homes that look exactly like yours.
Online predators are sophisticated, patient, and often invisible until it is too late. Many present themselves as teenagers to gain the trust of children and teens before exploiting them.
A New PSA Every Parent Should Watch
To mark the campaign’s anniversary and Child Abuse Prevention Month, Know2Protect released a new public service announcement warning kids and teens that not everyone they meet online is who they claim to be. The PSA is based on a real HSI case — the perpetrator, Kendall Carter, was sentenced in 2018 to 30 years in federal prison for sextorting dozens of children and teens, some as young as 12 years old.
Watch the PSA at know2protect.gov or on the DHS YouTube Channel. Then watch it with your kids.
What Know2Protect Has Built in Two Years
Since its launch, Know2Protect has reached more than 1.2 billion impressions through social media, advertising, earned media, and partner activities. The campaign now includes more than 30 signed partners and more than 600 Campaign Champions across technology, gaming, social media, sports leagues, youth-serving organizations, and law enforcement.
Partners include Meta, Snapchat, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, Scouting America, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and the National Police Athletic League — organizations that reach millions of young people every day.
More than 300,000 people have taken the Pledge2Protect — including more than 280,000 teens. The Know2Protect website has directed more than 2.3 million people to resources, action steps, and reporting information.
Real Results — Real Arrests
The campaign’s educational arm, Project iGuardian, has delivered more than 2,860 presentations to kids, teens, parents, and trusted adults across the United States and internationally in countries including Colombia, India, and Vietnam. Since its relaunch in October 2023, those presentations have reached more than 261,000 people.
The impact is measurable in the most important way possible. These presentations have led to 189 victim disclosures, 220 investigative cases, and 135 arrests. When a child feels safe enough to disclose what is happening to them during a Project iGuardian presentation, that disclosure is immediately reported to the appropriate authorities.
“Parents and guardians have a responsibility to protect kids online and the Trump Administration is committed to providing those adults with the best resources possible to prevent predators and other bad actors from taking advantage of their children,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
Country Star John Rich and Teen Athlete McKenna Whitham Are Spreading the Word
Know2Protect has built a network of influencers who are taking the message directly to young audiences. Country music artist John Rich hosted a virtual Project iGuardian presentation with an HSI special agent that reached over 3 million views on X. Fifteen-year-old women’s professional soccer player McKenna “Mak” Whitham recorded a Top 10 Tips2Protect for Teens video series with more than 470,000 views, and her Pledge2Protect PSA has surpassed 4 million YouTube views.
“Know2Protect gives parents and kids the tools they need to recognize online dangers, report concerns, and protect each other,” said John Rich. “Take and pass the Pledge2Protect today. Your commitment to protecting America’s kids is crucial in preventing these predators from victimizing children online.”
What Texas Parents Can Do Right Now
DHS designates the third Wednesday of every April as Know2Protect Day — but the steps you can take don’t require a calendar reminder.
Talk to your children about who they are communicating with online and make it a regular conversation, not a one-time lecture. Remind them that people online are not always who they say they are. Enable privacy settings on devices and apps. Know which platforms your children are using and what features those platforms offer. If something feels wrong — if your child seems withdrawn, secretive, or upset after being online — take it seriously.
Take the Pledge2Protect at know2protect.gov and share it with your network. More than 280,000 teens have already done it.
How to Report Suspected Exploitation
If you suspect a child is a victim of online sexual exploitation, report it immediately to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline. If a child is abducted or in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement and the NCMEC Tipline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
For Texas-specific resources, visit the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services at dfps.texas.gov.
Know2Protect: know2protect.gov Take the Pledge2Protect: know2protect.gov/pledge NCMEC CyberTipline: missingkids.org/gethelpnow/cybertipline NCMEC Emergency Hotline: 1-800-843-5678 DHS: dhs.gov
