Sexual predators are grooming children under six into performing “disturbing” acts of sexual abuse via phones or webcams a charity has warned.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said it had discovered more than two thousand remotely filmed child abuse images of three to six-year-olds online in 2023.
When Ofcom first commissioned this longitudinal study 10 years ago, several of the children in this year’s research weren’t yet born. It was 2014, later dubbed the “year of the selfie”1 in the wake of that year’s icebucket challenge2, the #nomakeupselfie3 and the “selfie that broke Twitter”. A year of laughs, cold-water gasps, attempts at authenticity and a group of famous people who took their own picture at the Oscars.
Nearly a quarter of UK five-to-seven-year-olds now have their own smartphone, Ofcom research suggests.
Social media use also rose in the age group over last year with nearly two in five using messaging service WhatsApp, despite its minimum age of 13.
The communications regulator warned parental enforcement of rules "appeared to be diminishing."
The minimum age to use WhatsApp in Europe and the UK will fall from 16 to 13. It is currently 13 in other countries including the US, and WhatsApp said it had made the decision to ensure consistency.
Chloe (not the victim's real name) said she and a "boy" messaged each other on Snapchat for several weeks before he promised to buy her some e-cigarettes if they met in person.
Chloe said the man also bought her expensive gifts, including Ugg boots and coats.
"He wanted me to do stuff... sexual stuff.. And because he was my boyfriend, I went along with it.
"When I said I wanted to stop he threatened me, saying he would send pictures and even a film of me round to all my mates, and I kind of believed him."
Having your nudes shared can feel scary, and it can leave you feeling worried or even ashamed. But it’s not your fault.
It’s against the law for anyone to share a sexual image or video of someone who’s under 18, and NSPCC is working with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and Yoti to help you remove any sexual image or video of you that’s online.
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