Hidden on Your Kid's Phone

Last Updated: Tuesday June 30, 2026

Almost 95% of U.S. teens (ages 13 to 17) have access to a smartphone.  While phones open up a world of possibilities, they can also create real threats, including access to illicit drugs.  Parents, caregivers, and other concerned adults can protect the young people they care about by learning about the risks, knowing what to look for, monitoring behavior, and having effective conversations about being safe online.

This series of videos is designed to give parents information and skills they can use to protect their family.  The videos can be watched at home, or with a group of parents and community members in a public setting such as a PTA meeting or health fair. 

All five Hidden on Your Kid's Phone videos can be downloaded in a zipped file via the button on the top-right of the Flickr album, or individually by clicking each video on Flickr and then clicking the icon of a downward-arrow atop a line on the bottom-right of the video. The sixth video, Hidden in Plain Sight, can also be downloaded via the icon on the bottom-right of the Flickr video. For additional information, reach out to your state’s DEA Community Outreach Specialist or explore DEA’s Community Outreach Resources.

Protecting Your Child Online (4:56): Electronic devices and social media seem to be everywhere. How are young people affected and how can families protect them? This video includes the story of the Burris family, who lost their son to an opioid poisoning.

Apps and Drug Trafficking (4:55): Apps – short for applications – are the programs on your phone that empower users to connect with the world. But drug traffickers can also use them to connect to your young person. Parents and caregivers will learn what to look out for on their kid’s phone.

Emojis to Look For (3:14): Emojis are the cute characters used online to communicate everything from surprise to laughter. However, they can also be used to disguise discussions about drugs. Parents and caregivers who watch this video will better understand the messages they see on their kid’s phone. Download DEA's Emoji Drug Code | Decoded fact sheet.

Online Drug Trafficking Strategies & Tactics (4:58): Traffickers use several techniques to advertise, connect, get paid, and deliver illicit drugs. Viewers will learn how to protect their young person from these strategies.

The Online Drug Talk (3:36): The most effective tool to protect your young person from online drug trafficking is you. This video discusses ways that parents, caregivers, and other concerned adults can have effective conversations with young people they care about.

Are you concerned about your kid and drugs IRL, or “in real life”?  DEA has also developed “Hidden in Plain Sight,” a video that helps parents better understand where illicit drugs can be hidden your kid’s room.