The NSPCC's report highlights a disturbing trend of increased child sexual abuse offences in England and Wales, with over 38,000 incidents recorded in 2023/24, a significant number stemming from private messaging platforms like Snapchat and Meta's services. In response, various child protection charities have jointly urged government officials to reevaluate Ofcom's current Illegal Harms Code of Practice. They argue that the code fails to provide adequate safety measures for youth against exploitation, particularly through end-to-end encrypted communications, which embolden offenders through inadequate oversight of shared content.
The NSPCC emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced protections for children on private messaging platforms, citing alarming statistics of child sexual abuse material sharing.
Concerns were raised about Ofcom's final Illegal Harms Code, which some charities argue allows loopholes, failing to fulfill its aim of protecting children online.
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