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Original poster

12 year old ds disturbing Google search

262 replies

SusanSHelit · 20/05/2026 19:29

I have just checked my voicemail this evening and had a message from 12yo ds head of year (y7) about 'something offensive which was picked up by smoothwall on the school laptop while he was logged in'. In the voicemail the hoy said that no requirement for a set of educational sessions and that he assured her it was a one off.

The message didn't detail what was picked up. I obviously had a conversation with ds about this and first he said he didn't remember what he typed. Then a few minutes later he revealed that he typed in 'is it illegal to put an animal in a blender?'

Im honestly really shocked and very disappointed. I would never have expected this from him. His father and I are separated and have been for a few years and he has pets in both houses (gerbils in his dad's, a cat at mine).

I've spoken to his dad about this, we have a pretty good coparenting relationship. Ds is going to his dad's after school tomorrow as I'm working nights for three nights from tomorrow. I'm going to call the school in the morning obviously but I don't even know where to begin with this.

Ds said he was just messing about with his friends but that he would even think about this has really disturbed me. He's a good kid at home, and this seems very out of the blue. He didn't say his friends typed it in, he said he did.

He's been banned from his PlayStation tonight and I've taken his phone too. I don't know if he will be allowed these in his dad's tomorrow

OP posts:
Decacaffeinatednow · 20/05/2026 19:31

Do you check his phone regularly?

ThisAmpleCritic · 20/05/2026 19:31

I don’t see what the big deal is. He didn’t actually put an animal in a blender, or search for videos of an animal in a blender. Just random curiosity… some of my search engine questions are bizarre!

Original poster
SusanSHelit · 20/05/2026 19:32

Me and his dad both do random spot checks but mostly does group video calls with his friends, usually while they are playing online. The ps is in the living room so I can monitor it

OP posts:
Toddlert · 20/05/2026 19:37

Maybe I’m naive but assuming there’s not a drip feed that actually he’s showing lots of other alarming signs,
and actually he’s a lovely kid, who just did a silly google search, I don’t think this is a big deal. He didn’t put an animal in the blender, he didn’t even suggest he wanted to. What were the searches or the conversation around it, maybe they were guessing other ridiculous things and seeing if there’s actually a law about them, maybe it was just a stupid conversation that escalated, you don’t even know if he’s the one who thought of it.
personally I’d keep an eye on it, but let it go.

DirtyGertiefromno30 · 20/05/2026 19:37

It's just kids being daft together . If the school are happy then that would be enough for me .

Somememorable · 20/05/2026 19:38

Do you have any small animals?

Original poster
SusanSHelit · 20/05/2026 19:39

No drip feed, this is like a bolt from the blue. He has gerbils in his dad's and a cat at mine

OP posts:
Somememorable · 20/05/2026 19:40

SusanSHelit · 20/05/2026 19:39

No drip feed, this is like a bolt from the blue. He has gerbils in his dad's and a cat at mine

both you and ex should hide any blenders in the short term!

fancypantss · 20/05/2026 19:40

Has someone been watching Gremlins? I wouldn't overthink it. If he was the sort of disturbed child that wanted to torture animals he wouldn't be worrying whether it was legal or not.

Contrarymary30 · 20/05/2026 19:42

I would be very disturbed by this . I think I'd have a serious conversation with him about it . I don't think it's a bit of fun or something you should ignore , it made me feel queasy when I read it .

Notmyreality · 20/05/2026 19:43

Kids do dumb stuff. That’s all it is. Stop over thinking it.
Unless he got a blender for Christmas.

Notmyreality · 20/05/2026 19:44

Contrarymary30 · 20/05/2026 19:42

I would be very disturbed by this . I think I'd have a serious conversation with him about it . I don't think it's a bit of fun or something you should ignore , it made me feel queasy when I read it .

I bet you’re fun at parties.

PixelDustMom · 20/05/2026 19:46

I work in a school. Kids do silly things all the time. This may have been kids joking around between themselves. As others have said, if your son has shown no signs of disturbing behaviour I wouldn’t be concerned. I would however have a chat about what’s appropriate, and what is not.

Sugargliderwombat · 20/05/2026 19:47

Does noone else have random thoughts like this? I obviously know it IS illegal to do that but I do very much google random wonderings. It wouldn't occur to me to be angry, maybe just curious about why he was thinking about it ?

FeelingSadToday1 · 20/05/2026 19:47

You should see my search or Alexa history and I am a fully sane, law abiding professional. It's just kids curiosity. I wouldn't worry unless there are other concerns.

likelysuspect · 20/05/2026 19:49

Its the sort of thing that some kid would say 'you can do x,y,z' and someone else says no, thats illegal, and the other kid says, its not, show me and your son does the google search to say 'is it illegal to put an animal in a blender'

Which strictly speaking it isnt otherwise we wouldnt make pate or meat balls etc.

Original poster
SusanSHelit · 20/05/2026 19:49

I'm not angry just very perturbed

OP posts:
WhatNextImScared · 20/05/2026 19:50

A bolt from the blue? It’s just a really silly classic 12 year old boy thing to say?

when I saw your intro I thought it was going to be searching for extreme porn or something?

of course the teachers have to tell you, but this comes into the dumbass category for me, not disturbing

ChalkOutlines · 20/05/2026 19:50

Did he say WHY he was googling it? What else were they doing/talking about when he did it. Context is everything.

WhatNextImScared · 20/05/2026 19:51

PixelDustMom · 20/05/2026 19:46

I work in a school. Kids do silly things all the time. This may have been kids joking around between themselves. As others have said, if your son has shown no signs of disturbing behaviour I wouldn’t be concerned. I would however have a chat about what’s appropriate, and what is not.

Edited

This

Original poster
SusanSHelit · 20/05/2026 19:51

He seems quite remorseful and subdued right now. I'm disappointed that he would even entertain the thought

OP posts:
fellowfons · 20/05/2026 19:51

I'm kinda a bit stuck up, rule abiding and judge but that made me lol OP.
Thank you as had a miserable day.

It's fine, really.

TY78910 · 20/05/2026 19:53

One thing I would say is I’ve been on many debates on this forum and sometimes had to search up whether something is illegal or whatever to formulate my point. Obviously we are adults here so the debates will be on a different level but you can only imagine what kids are discussing when they’re mucking about - it was probably just teenage curiosity.

ThisAmpleCritic · 20/05/2026 19:54

likelysuspect · 20/05/2026 19:49

Its the sort of thing that some kid would say 'you can do x,y,z' and someone else says no, thats illegal, and the other kid says, its not, show me and your son does the google search to say 'is it illegal to put an animal in a blender'

Which strictly speaking it isnt otherwise we wouldnt make pate or meat balls etc.

Oh wow I didn’t think of that 😂

SherbetDipDap · 20/05/2026 19:55

Oh god, I’ve googled far worse than that and I’m a very functioning member of society who has never done anything seriously illegal or cruel, I promise!

I’m not even sure they had proper internet security when I was at school. We used to sit in the IT suites looking at the Wikipedia list of ‘philias’ and various awful crimes!