Ariel Winter Goes Undercover as a 12-Year-Old to Expose Online Predators in Shocking New Docuseries

Former Modern Family star Ariel Winter is stepping away from sitcoms and stepping into something far more serious: confronting child predators head-on. The 27-year-old actress has joined the nonprofit Safe from Online Sex Abuse (SOSA) in a high-stakes undercover operation featured in the new true-crime docuseries SOSA Undercover.

In the show’s premiere, Winter takes on the disturbing task of posing as a 12-year-old girl to help lure and expose men targeting minors online. One of those men, a 31-year-old in Oklahoma City, took the bait—thinking he was engaging with a preteen, but instead, he was being tracked and filmed as part of a sting.

A Role Unlike Any She’s Played Before

Wearing a blonde wig and sitting in a carefully staged “child’s bedroom,” Winter speaks in a soft, youthful voice during a FaceTime call with the man. She refers to him as “Daddy” while maintaining her character—a chilling but necessary step in the effort to catch the predator.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Winter reflected on how deeply personal this mission is to her. “I’ve been the girl we’re trying to save,” she said. “Growing up in Hollywood from the age of four, I was exposed to inappropriate messages and advances from much older men—online and in person.”

The sting was not only emotionally taxing, but also, as Winter put it, “validating.” She explained, “It’s scary pretending to be a child and engaging with these men, but there’s power in knowing these efforts are taking predators off the street.”

Predators Hidden in Plain Sight

What disturbed Winter most was how “normal” these men seemed. Many appeared to be average, friendly adults—men with families, pets, and day jobs. “They don’t fit the stereotype of a predator,” she said. “They’re the kind of person who’d smile at you in the grocery store.”

In one alarming case, a man nearly 40 years old expressed interest in taking what he thought was an 11-year-old girl shopping for a bra. “That’s not something a grown man should ever suggest,” Winter said bluntly.

Winter also emphasized how widespread the issue has become. “There are hundreds of thousands of men actively looking to speak with 12- or 13-year-old girls. That number should terrify all of us.”

Childhood Trauma as Fuel for Activism

Having experienced the dangers of online grooming firsthand, Winter says her involvement with SOSA is more than a one-time volunteer project—it’s a calling.

“I’ve been through therapy because of the trauma I faced,” she shared. “These aren’t just statistics. This is real. I lived it. And now, I’m determined to prevent others from going through the same.”

On social media, Winter has been open about her past experiences. In February, ahead of the show’s launch, she wrote on Instagram: “I was a victim of grooming online and IRL, and CSA. The effects are lifelong and inescapable.”

She continued, “Predators have unlimited access to children now—on every device, through every app. We have to fight back with everything we’ve got.”

SOSA’s Mission and Winter’s Commitment

SOSA works directly with law enforcement to ensure that online predators are identified, arrested, and prosecuted. According to Winter, the group’s dedication to tangible outcomes is part of what drew her in. “They’re not just raising awareness. They’re getting convictions,” she said.

The actress plans to stay involved for the long haul. “SOSA is women helping women—and I’m committed to doing this work as long as I can.”

Winter’s move from sitcom stardom to advocacy isn’t a publicity stunt; it’s a personal crusade. And through SOSA Undercover, she’s shining a necessary light on a dark, growing threat—one FaceTime at a time.