Online Grooming Risks Escalate for Young Children, Experts Warn
Concerns grow over the increasing ease and speed with which perpetrators can target children as young as five on social media and online games.
Online grooming is becoming "easier" and "quicker" than ever before, with children as young as five years old increasingly vulnerable due to more time spent online, experts have warned.
Andri Nicolau, who works with schools to educate children about online safety, stated that the prevalence of online gaming and social media means children can be exposed to risks at any age, often without recognizing the dangers. Children may not perceive online contacts as strangers and may not anticipate malicious intent from the outset.
Nicolau advised children and young people experiencing grooming to confide in a trusted adult. While police intervention may not be their immediate choice, speaking to someone they feel comfortable with is paramount.
Parents are urged not to confiscate devices or ban children from platforms, as this can lead to feelings of blame. Instead, Nicolau encouraged parents to engage in open conversations, reassuring their children that the situation is not their fault, even if they have shared inappropriate images. "Believe them and give them the authorisation to say whatever they need to say," she said.
Ella Bradshaw, policy and public affairs officer at the NSPCC, emphasized the importance of initiating online safety discussions early to ensure children know they have a "safe adult" to turn to. She noted that children might be hesitant to speak about grooming or romantic relationships online due to fear of judgment or embarrassment. "Making sure that your child knows that you will stand by them, that you will respond with warmth and care rather than judging them or blaming them for what's going on is really important," Bradshaw added.
James Simmons-Read, who leads The Children's Society's national exploitation prevention program, expressed significant concern over the escalating scale of online child sexual abuse and exploitation. He noted that perpetrators continuously adapt their methods to reach young people through platforms like gaming and social media.
A worrying trend identified by Simmons-Read is young people seeking advice and support regarding online harms from artificial intelligence rather than adults.
Simmons-Read also commented on the upcoming social media ban for under 16s, slated for 2027. He believes the measure does not go far enough, could be circumvented by criminals, and might deter young people from reporting instances of online grooming. "We want tech platforms to invest more in detecting exploitation when it's happening on their platforms," he stated.
A government spokesperson confirmed that legislation is being prepared to prevent children from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images on their devices, which would be a first for any country. The spokesperson added, "Tech companies must be part of the solution and meet their legal and moral obligations. Where they fall short, the government will not hesitate to step in."
Kerry Smith, chief executive of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), welcomed the commitment to nudity-blocking technology but stressed the urgency of the situation, stating, "We welcome the commitment to introducing nudity blocking technology on children's devices – but there really is no time to lose."
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, reported that it is implementing measures to combat grooming. These include restricting contact between adults and unrelated teens and utilizing technology to detect and remove child exploitation imagery. The company also employs behavioral signals to identify accounts exhibiting signs of grooming or sexual interest in children, taking action ranging from preventing contact with minors to account removal.
Snapchat and TikTok were approached for comment by the BBC.