When tech gets too creepy

When online harm becomes real — plus what I’m reading right now.

Hi friends,

This week, the internet is once again making me side-eye my phone.

Which, as a YA thriller author, feels less like paranoia and more like professional development.

Between AI, social media algorithms, and apps that seem to know way too much about us, I keep thinking:

At what point does technology stop being helpful and start auditioning for villain of the year?

So grab your coffee, tea, or emotional support bookmark.

It’s time for another Brave Bookshelf Dispatch.

📁 THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF CASE FILE

Case: When “fake” online harm becomes very real.

This week’s internet story is a heavy one.

Canadian teens are reportedly facing criminal charges after using AI to create and share non-consensual sexualized images of their classmates.

“A pair of 14-year-old boys in Edmonton (Canada) have been charged for allegedly using artificial intelligence to create child exploitation images of their classmates.

Investigators allege the teens took photos of girls at their school without consent, in addition to obtaining photos of female classmates from their social media accounts, and then used AI software to sexualize the images.

The accused students have since been charged with making and possessing child sexual exploitation materials as well as voyeurism.”

—Wallis Snowdon, CBC News Jun 17, 2026 11:18 AM EDT | Last Updated: June 17

And yes, I know.

Every generation has had something adults worried about.

DnD. (Dungeons and Dragons)
Rock music.

But this feels different.

Because AI can create something that looks real.

And apps can push harmful content toward kids before they even know what they’re looking at.

That’s not just “kids being online.”

That’s a whole new kind of danger.

💻 KIM VS. THE INTERNET

This week’s question:

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

How do we teach teens that digital harm still counts as harm?

Because I think this is where adults sometimes get stuck.

We want to say, “It’s not real. It’s just AI.”

But if someone’s face is used without permission, if classmates see it, share it, laugh about it, whisper about it, or use it to humiliate someone…

That damage is real.

The fear is real.
The shame is real.
The consequences are real.

And for the kids making or sharing those images, the consequences can be very real too.

This is why conversations about digital safety can’t just be:

“Don’t talk to strangers online.”

That ship has sailed, hit an iceberg, and probably has a TikTok account now.

We need to talk about consent.

Not just in person.

Online too.

Who gets to use your image?
What should you do if someone sends you something harmful?
When do you get an adult involved?
Why is sharing it also part of the harm?

And because I write thrillers, my brain also goes here:

What happens when the app knows more than the parents?
What happens when the algorithm keeps feeding the worst stuff to kids?
What happens when “fake” becomes impossible to ignore?

This is the kind of fear that sneaks into stories like The Kill App.

Technology can give teens a place to be heard.

But it can also become a weapon when the wrong people use it badly.

And that’s the part that keeps my thriller brain busy.

📚 BOOKS THAT START THE CONVERSATION

This is also why I love books that give teens a safer place to talk about scary things.

A good YA story can open the door to questions like:

What does consent mean online?
What do you do when a friend crosses a line?
How do you speak up when everyone else is laughing?
Can something be “just a joke” if someone gets hurt?

Those are not easy questions.

But books can make them easier to ask.

And sometimes that’s where the bravest conversations begin.

🐺 WHAT I’M READING RIGHT NOW

Right now, I’m reading The Lure of Wolves and Whispers by Amanda Connolly, and so far, I’m loving this one.

It’s an Irish lore-inspired YA romantasy about one sister who offers her life in exchange for her sister’s life. You know a little like The Hunger Games.

So yes, we have:

🌫️ Whisperers (Magicians or Witches)
⚔️ Power struggles
💔 Sisterly sacrifice
🔥 Romantic tension
👑 Dangerous choices

Basically, everything my TBR pile uses to lure me into ignoring pulling the weeds out of my garden.

Amanda Connolly is an award-winning journalist, and I can already see how her background adds something extra to the politics, alliances, and power struggles in this story.

The book draws loose inspiration from ancient Irish lore, the extinction of wild wolves in Ireland, the Irish Viking Age, Christianization, and the legend of St. Patrick driving the snakes out of Ireland.

Which means I went in expecting fantasy.

And now I’m also getting history, rebellion, danger, and the kind of atmosphere that makes me want to read just one more chapter.

Famous last words.

The book was released on July 7, 2026, and I’ve also published my review. Click below to find the book and read my review.

📖My Review:

Forbidden Magic and Dangerous Hearts

🎤 NEW ON THE BRAVE BOOKSHELF

In case you missed it, here’s what’s been happening on The Brave Bookshelf:

📚 Latest Review:

✍️ Coming Soon: More book reviews, brave conversations, and probably more evidence that my TBR pile has become sentient.

You can catch up here:

👉 https://www.kimbartosch.com

📅 AUTHOR EVENTS & BOOKISH NEWS

Here’s what’s coming up:

📍The Blue Water Street Fair, Date: Friday, July 17, Time: 12:00–9:00 p.m. ET, Location: Downtown Port Huron, Michigan, More information: The Blue Water Fest

I’ll be at the Blue Water Street Fair during The Blue Water Fest in Downtown Port Huron with other SCBWI members and signing and selling copies of Ask the Girl. So stop by if you’re attending the festival. I’d love to chat about books, writing, YA mysteries, ghost stories, or your favorite “I swear this place is haunted” story.

And behind the scenes:

I’m still working on revising The Kill App (My editor asked for more rewrites aah! 😱) and began finishing up my young adult fantasy/thriller. I’m also reading, reviewing, podcasting, and pretending my inbox is not a haunted house.

It is.

It absolutely is.

💬 YOUR TURN

Reply and tell me:

What online issue do you think teens need more help talking about?

AI images?
Social media pressure?
Cyberbullying?
Privacy?
Group chats gone wrong?

You can reply with just one word. (i.e., AI, Social Media, Privacy, chats)

I’m nosy, but in a bookish way.

Until next time,

Kim

Author | Book Reviewer | Host of The Brave Bookshelf

P.S. What app, trend, or online habit would make the best YA thriller villain? I’m collecting ideas for completely normal author reasons.