It began as a game of make-believe. Two children, aged 10 and 12, were chatting with their favourite characters from the Harry Potter universe — or so their parents thought. What unfolded, however, was far from playful. Hidden in those exchanges were adult themes and explicit conversations that no child should have to navigate.

The line between fantasy and danger had blurred in a way the children’s parents had never imagined possible, transforming beloved fictional characters into a gateway to inappropriate exposure. On condition of anonymity, they shared with Sunday mid-day how the incident was a sobering reminder that while AI chat platforms are rapidly becoming part of children’s digital playgrounds, the risks they carry are often invisible. “What seemed like harmless fun quickly turned into a space that chipped away at trust, imagination, and safety,” they said.