In recent years, there has been a shift in safeguarding, moving from predominantly concerns about physical safety to fears about safety online. The challenge is that the online world moves at an alarming rate, with new threats constantly building in the shadows.

One such threat is the group 764. This is a “nihilistic violent extremist” group who say their ultimate purpose is to “destroy society”.

The group, founded in 2020 by US teenager Bradley Cadenhead, aims to achieve this through coercing children to perform gruesome and dangerous acts against themselves and animals. Their hope is that this desensitises them to violence, encouraging further violence and spreading fear and chaos within communities.

The network engages in grooming, sextortion and psychological manipulation, and encourages self-harm. It operates on popular social media and gaming platforms, including Discord, Telegram and Roblox.

In 2024, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a warning about the group, saying it “uses threats, blackmail and manipulation to control the victims into recording or live-streaming self-harm, sexually explicit acts, and/or suicide”.

While 764 has US origins, the group has become international and several British teenagers have been arrested in connection with its activities. Despite this, awareness of it in schools remains limited. So, what do teachers need to know?

Grooming and sextortion

Understanding the tactics used by 764 and related groups can help us to recognise any possible warning signs in students. Grooming and trust-building are integral. Often perpetrators will initially present themselves as friends or romantic interests in order to gain trust. They will then quickly try to obtain explicit images or personal information, which will then be used for blackmail and sextortion, unless the victim gives in to their demands.

Sadly, 764 are just the tip of the iceberg and are one of many similar groups, such as CVLT and the Order of Nine Angels (O9A). These networks represent a real risk for young people.

Students do not need to be informed about these groups explicitly, but they need to be reminded about how to keep themselves safe online. Group members are known to target young people in online communities that focus on topics like true crime and mental health, and through online games where a lot of young people are usually found, such as Roblox and Minecraft. It is important that school staff are listening out for conversations that indicate that children are involved in these communities.

The importance of online oversight

Reinforce with parents the importance of having complete oversight of what their children are accessing online and give them the confidence to speak out if they encounter anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.

These groups will deliberately seek out young people who feel isolated or anxious. Students struggling with their mental health, family issues or loneliness may be particularly at risk.

Warning signs can be hard to spot, but some things to look out for might be:

• Sudden withdrawal from friends or activities.
• A heightened secrecy around online use or distress if devices are removed.
• Uncharacteristic rule-breaking.
• Fixation on online contacts.
• Repeated doodling of numbers or unfamiliar symbols, which don’t appear to “fit” with the task they are working on.

Professional curiosity is vital

These signs will overlap with many other concerns, which is why professional curiosity is always vital. If you have any concerns, ensure you speak to the designated safeguarding lead immediately.

Schools can work with external agencies such as CEOP or the NSPCC in order to support students in cases such as this.

Thomas Michael is a safeguarding lead

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