Online grooming crimes have reached a record high, nearly doubling since 2017-18 with 7,263 offenses recorded in the last year. These figures, obtained from 44 police forces, indicate that four out of ten grooming offenses occurred on Snapchat, followed by WhatsApp and Facebook. Girls are disproportionately targeted, accounting for eight out of ten victims where gender is known, and the youngest victim was a four-year-old boy.
Child protection campaigners are urging tech giants to take immediate action. They argue that safety features must be integrated into platform design from the outset, rather than being an afterthought, and are calling for tools that can scan for inappropriate images before they are shared.
Law enforcement agencies acknowledge that while they are working diligently, they cannot combat this issue alone and technology companies must assume responsibility for child safety on their platforms. Politicians have expressed horror at the figures, with proposals including banning social media for under 16s until platforms can guarantee safety.
The government has stated that the increase in offenses is unacceptable and that platforms must prevent strangers from messaging children and stop recommending connections. Enforcement ac... download the app to read more
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