Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

Facebook apps used in more than half of online child sex crimes, charity claims

More than half of the online child sex crimes in one year took place on Facebook-owned apps, data from the NSPCC suggests, as it demanded more to be done to tackle abuse in private messaging.

Facebook has previously revealed plans to make messaging across its apps, including Instagram and Messenger, end-to-end encrypted like another of its services – WhatsApp – to boost user privacy.

But the children’s charity argued that these figures, gathered through Freedom of Information requests to police forces, show that the social media giant’s encryption plans will leave children at greater risk and accused it of “turning back the clock on children’s safety”.

The NSPCC said the data it received showed 9,477 instances of sexual or indecent image offences against children were recorded by police between October 2019 and September 2020 where the communication platform was known, with 52% taking place on Facebook-owned apps.

The figures showed that Instagram was used more than any other Facebook platform – in more than a third of all instances, ahead of Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, in data were gathered from 35 police forces in England, Wales and the Channel Islands.

The NSPCC argued that should Facebook go ahead with its encryption plans, many of these offences could go unreported in future unless new safeguards were put in place.

As a result, the charity has urged the Government to strengthen the powers of the forthcoming Online Safety Bill to allow the proposed regulator, Ofcom, to take action.

It argues that although end-to-end encryption offers a number of benefits, including improved privacy, it will hinder the ability of platforms and law enforcement agencies to identify and disrupt child abuse.

“Facebook is willingly turning back the clock on children’s safety by pushing ahead with end-to-end encryption despite repeated warnings that their apps will facilitate more serious abuse more often,” said Andy Burrows, NSPCC head of child safety online policy.

“If legislation is going to deliver meaningful change it needs to be strengthened to decisively tackle abuse in private messaging, one of the biggest threats to children online.”
Last month, a senior official at the National Crime Agency said Facebook’s encryption plan “poses an existential threat to child protection”.

Source: (Wales Online)

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