Khaberni - The British NSPCC for child protection revealed a serious rise in online child abuse crimes in Britain, after police force data showed 7,263 crimes were recorded in the year ending in March, compared to 3,728 crimes eight years ago, describing the situation as "extremely concerning".
The "Sexual Communication with a Child" crime came into effect in England and Wales since April 2017, as a measure targeting abusers who use smartphones and social media platforms to lure minors, while it was implemented in Northern Ireland in 2015 and in Scotland in 2010.
The figures indicate that 80% of the victims are girls in cases where the gender was known, while the youngest victim was a four-year-old child. The data included all police forces except for Lincolnshire.
Snapchat at the forefront
NSPCC, which submitted freedom of information requests, said it received data from all police forces except Lincolnshire Police. Of the 2,111 crimes recorded last year, a digital platform used in the crime was identified.
According to the society, about 40% of these crimes occurred through the messaging app Snapchat, while 9% occurred on WhatsApp, and 9% on Facebook and Instagram.
The society warned that Snapchat's "Quick Add" feature facilitates adults' access to a large number of children in a short time.
Abusers' methods and how to confront them
NSPCC research showed that abusers rely on creating fake accounts across multiple platforms to lure children, prompting the society to demand that tech companies analyze metadata to detect suspicious behavior patterns, without inspecting private messages, such as adults communicating with a large number of children or creating repeated fake accounts.
Main protection proposals:
Imposing restrictions on adult accounts regarding who can find them or communicate with them.
Using tools on children's devices to scan for nude images and prevent the sharing of exploitative content.
Statements and warnings
Chris Sherwood, NSPCC's chief executive, said: "It is extremely concerning that online harassment crimes have reached a record level in the UK. The trauma does not end when the messages stop, as children may suffer from anxiety, depression, and embarrassment for years."
Kerris Smith from IWF Foundation stated: "The internet has opened a wide gate for abusers to reach children with very serious consequences, and technology companies must take responsibility even in encrypted spaces."
In turn, Becky Riggs, the deputy national police lead for child protection, emphasized that: "The police are doing everything they can, but protecting children must be built into the platforms, not left as an afterthought."
Response from Snapchat
The platform said it cooperates with the police and relevant organizations to monitor and remove prohibited activities immediately, emphasizing that teenagers only appear in search results if there is mutual contact, and that direct communication requires that both parties are already friends. It also added that it provides in-app warnings and is working on enhancing safety tools to make the platform more difficult for abusers.
