Your current location:HOME >health >Children, three, manipulated into sending predators sexual pictures, report claims 正文
TIME:2024-04-24 18:20:48 Source: Internet compilationEdit:health
A new report has found that children as young as three are being manipulated into sending predators
A new report has found that children as young as three are being manipulated into sending predators sexual pictures and videos.
The study from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) found thousands of images and videos online of three to six-year-olds who had been groomed, coerced or tricked into sexually abusive acts.
According to the IWF, which proactively tracks down and removes child sexual abuse imagery online, opportunistic internet predators were directing children remotely and often recording them without their knowledge before sharing it on dedicated child sexual abuse websites.
The online safety organisation said it showed the need for more protections online and they said platforms needed to act immediately rather than waiting for new regulations, such as the Online Safety Act, to take effect.
Shocking data released from Ofcom last week showed that around a third of children aged between five and seven used social media without parental supervision.
A new report has found that children as young as three are being manipulated into sending predators sexual pictures and videos (stock image)
Susie Hargreaves (pictured), chief executive of the IWF, said: 'The opportunistic criminals who want to manipulate your children into disturbing acts of sexual abuse are not a distant threat - they are trying to talk to them now on phones and devices you can find in any family home
The IWF said it had seen some response from online firms, with the organisation reporting that record numbers of companies were taking services from it to stop abuse images circulating online.
Susie Hargreaves, chief executive of the IWF, said: 'The opportunistic criminals who want to manipulate your children into disturbing acts of sexual abuse are not a distant threat - they are trying to talk to them now on phones and devices you can find in any family home.
'If children under six are being targeted like this, we need to be having age appropriate conversations, now, to make sure they know how to spot the dangers. A whole society approach is needed.
'The Online Safety Act also needs to work because these online harms are getting worse. It is imperative that we all take this threat seriously and that we are all doing our bit to prevent the spread of new and previously unseen child sexual abuse imagery.
'We need to see measures in place to make sure this imagery cannot spread on the open web. We stand ready to help Ofcom and the technology sector find solutions.'
According to the IWF report, 92% of the 254,000 webpages it discovered in 2023 contained self-generated images of videos where the victim had been coerced, blackmailed or groomed into performing sexual acts over a webcam for a predator in a remote location.
Security minister Tom Tugendhat said: 'This deeply disturbing report shows that predators are targeting younger and younger victims. My message to parents is to speak to your children about their use of social media'
Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: 'As this shocking report shows, there is truly no time to lose to keep our children safe online'
The report said 2,401 self-generated images and videos of children in the three to six age category were discovered by analysts, 91% of which were of girls.
Security minister Tom Tugendhat said: 'This deeply disturbing report shows that predators are targeting younger and younger victims. My message to parents is to speak to your children about their use of social media, because the platforms you presume safe may pose a risk.
'It's vital that technology companies implement stronger safeguards to prevent abuse, and work with us to bring predators to justice and keep our children safe.'
Communications regulator Ofcom is currently in the process of drafting and consulting on new codes of practice for online platforms, which will set out how sites need to protect users under the Online Safety Act, but the first of these is not expected to come into force until next year.
Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: 'As this shocking report shows, there is truly no time to lose to keep our children safe online.
'We are one of the first countries in the world to put in place laws which will protect children from illegal, harmful, and age-inappropriate content. This is a vital step in protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse and achieving our shared goal of making the UK the safest place to be online.
'We've consistently been at the forefront of child protection and will continue to build on this work. But we are very clear; companies should not wait and should act now to protect children.'
Jason Sudeikis and ex Olivia Wilde beam at their kids in LA park... after ending 182024-04-24 17:30
‘An immortal of our incredible game’2024-04-24 17:25
Core blimey: Bramley & butternut squash soup with gorgonzola cream2024-04-24 17:23
Rustle these up with Rosemary: Chocolate fondants 2024-04-24 16:39
Starbucks vs federal labor agency: U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments2024-04-24 16:32
I'm a psychologist2024-04-24 16:19
Rustle these up with Rosemary: My traditional steak and kidney pie 2024-04-24 16:04
Queen Camilla, Princess Anne and Sarah Ferguson all don traditional spring shade2024-04-24 16:00
As syphilis cases among US newborns soar, doctors group advises more screening during pregnancy2024-04-24 15:57
Inside Harry Kane's family life with devoted wife Katie Goodland after the couple's car crash scare2024-04-24 15:39
Petrol surpasses 150p a litre2024-04-24 17:53
Queen Camilla praises Kate Middleton2024-04-24 17:43
What visitors on £100 Balmoral tours will see: Tourists can wander Drawing Room2024-04-24 17:37
Emma Hayes blasts Jonas Eidevall's 'male aggression' after heated post2024-04-24 17:32
Baltimore port to open deeper channel, enabling some cargo ships to pass after bridge collapse2024-04-24 17:02
Why Kate Middleton waited to announce her cancer diagnosis2024-04-24 16:58
Space X: Rocket set to slam into moon wrongly blamed on Elon Musk2024-04-24 16:55
Australian pilot kidnapped in Papua New Guinea's highlands2024-04-24 16:50
PGA Tour has a team event in New Orleans. LIV Golf returns Down Under2024-04-24 16:35
‘An immortal of our incredible game’2024-04-24 16:32