Online grooming crimes in the West Midlands more than doubled
457 offences were recorded in 2023/24 compared to 194 in 2017/18
The number of children being groomed online in the West Midlands has reached record levels according to new figures from the NSPCC.
In 2023/24, 457 offences were recorded by police across the region, more than double the figure than when the offence first came into force in 2017.
Data from the children's charity showed the total number of offences recorded in 2023/24 where a technology platform was recorded was 1,824, Snapchat accounting for almost half of that number with 48%.
A Snapchat spokesperson said: “Any sexual exploitation of young people is horrific and illegal and we have zero tolerance for it on Snapchat.
"If we identify such activity, or it is reported to us, we remove the content, disable the account, take steps to prevent the offender from creating additional accounts, and report them to the authorities.
"We have extra protections, including in-app warnings to make it difficult for teens to be contacted by strangers, and our in-app Family Centre lets parents see who their teens are talking to, and who their friends are.”
Lizzie Brookes from the NSPCC in the Midlands says the data is worrying, and it's vital children should be feeling safe when going online.
"These figures are highly alarming," she said.
"They really highlight the vulnerability of children and young people online, but we should keep at the front of our mind those who are at the heart of all of this, as the impact it can have can be catastrophic.
"The online world, including social media, can have a really important place for children and young people for lots of different reasons.
"It can have a really positive impact for children, and it is important we acknowledge that, but actually because of this, we know just how important it is that social media in particular is that safe place for children to be."
Ofcom and the government say they're working to roll out the Online Safety Act to protect people online and make sure social media firms put measures in place.