The alarming rise in online child grooming crimes has reached a record high, highlighting an urgent need to protect children online. Valkyrie’s Director of Cyber and Electronic Countermeasures, Gurpreet Thathy, has been working in this field since 2008 and was involved in Operation Notarise in 2014, investigating and tackling organised grooming gangs. Even back then, the issue was considerable, and it has continued to escalate. Through his ongoing involvement in numerous cases, Gurpreet has seen this escalation firsthand, underscoring the critical nature of this issue.
A recent study by the Global Child Safety Institute at Edinburgh University reveals a “hidden pandemic” of online sexual exploitation and abuse, predicting that 1 in 8 children worldwide—over 300 million—are victims. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has provided alarming data, showing that the most exploited age group for inappropriate image sharing is 11 to 13 years old, with nearly all victims being girls. Last year, the IWF discovered 275,000 web pages containing child abuse material, with 92% featuring self-generated content. There is an increasing depiction of very young children, aged 7 to 10, in these images. These children often do not realise that what they are doing is sexual, as they are manipulated into believing it is part of a game. The spread of these images across the Internet makes it crucial for the public to report such content using the IWF’s public reporting page.
In response to this growing threat, the UK government proposed the Online Safety Bill to hold social media companies accountable. The bill, set for final debate soon, would impose stringent measures to prevent child exploitation. However, experts argue it must go further with enhanced protections and stricter enforcement. Tech firms are urged to proactively safeguard children, not just comply with regulations.
The IWF advocates for the new government to implement stricter age verification measures to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content and to introduce additional safety features in end-to-end encrypted messaging apps. The continued rollout of end-to-end encrypted messaging apps without these safety features could create safe havens for predators to distribute child sexual abuse material.
At Valkyrie, we actively support measures to reduce online exploitation. Our team collaborates with stakeholders to promote stronger protection policies and enhance online safety.
Advice:
Educate & Communicate: Talk regularly with children about online dangers and the importance of not sharing personal information or images.
Parental Controls: Set and update controls on devices and social media platforms to limit access to inappropriate content and monitor online activities.
Encourage Reporting: Teach children to report any suspicious online interactions to a trusted adult immediately and use resources like the IWF’s public reporting page to report harmful content.
Addressing this issue requires coordinated efforts from governments, tech companies, and the public. Implementing robust age verification, enhancing safety features on social media platforms, and raising awareness among children and parents about the risks of online exploitation are critical steps towards mitigating this hidden pandemic.
