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| Government urged to tackle online grooming | Government urged to tackle online grooming |
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| The government has to do more to force social media companies to tackle online grooming, the NSPCC has said. | The government has to do more to force social media companies to tackle online grooming, the NSPCC has said. |
| More than 1,300 offences were recorded in the first six months of a new child grooming law being introduced last year in England and Wales. | |
| The children's charity, the NSPCC, said the number of cases was "staggering". | The children's charity, the NSPCC, said the number of cases was "staggering". |
| The Home Office said social media sites had to take all possible steps to prevent children being exploited on their platforms. | The Home Office said social media sites had to take all possible steps to prevent children being exploited on their platforms. |
| Before the new offence of sexual communication with a child was introduced in April, police could not intervene until groomers attempted to meet their targets face-to-face. | Before the new offence of sexual communication with a child was introduced in April, police could not intervene until groomers attempted to meet their targets face-to-face. |
| Of the 1,316 cases recorded, the youngest victim was a seven-year-old girl, although girls aged between 12 and 15 were the most likely to be targeted by predators. | Of the 1,316 cases recorded, the youngest victim was a seven-year-old girl, although girls aged between 12 and 15 were the most likely to be targeted by predators. |
| Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat were the most common sites used by offenders, making up 63% of all incidents. | Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat were the most common sites used by offenders, making up 63% of all incidents. |
| The NSPCC, which campaigned to bring in the new legislation, has criticised social media companies for not making the most of the technology they already use to enforce the law. | The NSPCC, which campaigned to bring in the new legislation, has criticised social media companies for not making the most of the technology they already use to enforce the law. |
| Grooming alerts | Grooming alerts |
| Tony Stower, head of child safety online at the NSPCC, said: "Despite the staggering number of grooming offences in just six months, government and social networks are not properly working together and using all the tools available to stop this crime from happening. | Tony Stower, head of child safety online at the NSPCC, said: "Despite the staggering number of grooming offences in just six months, government and social networks are not properly working together and using all the tools available to stop this crime from happening. |
| "Government's Internet Safety Strategy must require social networks to build in technology to keep their young users safe, rather than relying on police to step in once harm has already been done." | "Government's Internet Safety Strategy must require social networks to build in technology to keep their young users safe, rather than relying on police to step in once harm has already been done." |
| Algorithms are currently used by social media companies to flag up images of child abuse, hate speech and extremist material. | Algorithms are currently used by social media companies to flag up images of child abuse, hate speech and extremist material. |
| The charity said the same techniques should be used to pick up "grooming language" and then send an automatic alert to both the child and the police. | The charity said the same techniques should be used to pick up "grooming language" and then send an automatic alert to both the child and the police. |
| Facebook said it was already using technology to identify grooming behaviour. | Facebook said it was already using technology to identify grooming behaviour. |
| The NSPCC said an existing voluntary code of practice does not go far enough and has called for a mandatory code to be put in place. | The NSPCC said an existing voluntary code of practice does not go far enough and has called for a mandatory code to be put in place. |