More children targeted by paedophiles online: Watchdog
LONDON – Children under the age of 10 are increasingly being targeted by paedophiles online, figures from an internet watchdog suggest. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) received 392,660 reports of possible abuse images on websites in 2023, of which 275,655 were found to contain such material.
According to the IWF, 107,615 (39 per cent) of the pages analyzed in 2023 contained images of children under the age of 10, compared to 64,735 pages (25 per cent) in 2022. These pages can contain hundreds or thousands of images of abuse.
The report also highlighted that 254,070 (92 per cent) of the reported pages in 2023 featured self-generated pictures or videos where children are coerced or tricked into taking explicit images of themselves. Disturbingly, about a fifth of the self-generated material fell into the worst category.
The imagery extorted or coerced from primary school-aged children is now finding its way onto the most extreme, dedicated child sexual abuse sites in shocking numbers, said Susie Hargreaves, the chief executive of the IWF. The IWF is seeing the results in unprecedented numbers. These criminals are ruthless.
Hargreaves criticized Meta’s plans to introduce end-to-end encryption on Facebook Messenger. In 2022, Meta passed over 20 million reports of users potentially sharing images of child sexual abuse to a helpline in the United States. Hargreaves expressed concern that Meta’s decision to implement encryption would provide a safe space for online predators to share and spread abuse imagery undetected.
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat also condemned Meta’s decision, stating that it would have a catastrophic impact on law enforcement’s ability to bring perpetrators to justice. He urged Meta to work with government officials and experts to implement robust safeguards.
Tech companies, including Meta, have faced calls to address the way their platforms put children at risk of sexual abuse ahead of the Online Safety Act. Sir Peter Wanless, the NSPCC chief executive, expressed concern over Meta’s rush to introduce end-to-end encryption, which would hinder law enforcement’s ability to identify and disrupt child abuse.
In response, a Meta spokesperson defended the introduction of encryption, emphasizing that it helps keep people, including children, safe from hackers, scammers, and criminals. The spokesperson stated that Meta has developed safety measures to prevent and combat child abuse while maintaining online security.
The alarming rise in online child sexual abuse, particularly the targeting of younger children, underscores the urgent need for effective measures to protect vulnerable individuals. As children face greater risks online, it becomes crucial for tech companies and authorities to collaborate and prioritize the safety and well-being of children in the digital world.
Please note: This article has been written for informative purposes and does not include any explicit details or explicit reporting on child abuse. The aim is to raise awareness and emphasize the need for appropriate measures to safeguard children online.
