Sexual messages being sent to kids as young as 8 via social media

A year after new laws came in to protect kids online stats show children as young as 8 in Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire have received inappropriate messages from adults.

More than 290 crimes have been recorded here under a new law brought in last April banning sexual communications with kids.

Stats show 70 percent of the incidents across the UK are happening on big name social media platforms.

The NSPCC is now campaigning to ensure those laws are sufficiently robust to prevent grooming and to truly keep children safe. It is calling on Government to:

• Create mandatory safety rules that social networks are legally required to follow;

• Establish an independent regulator to enforce safety laws and fine non-compliant sites

• Require social media sites to publish annual safety reports;

• Force platforms to develop technology to detect grooming using algorithms.

Mared Parry, was sent sexual messages from men ten years older than her on Facebook when she was aged just 14.

Mared, who has waived her right to anonymity, was groomed to send semi-naked pictures to them. She said: “At the beginning it was messages like ‘Hey, how are you?

“But as the weeks went on, they started sending messages that were more and more sexual. It was so subtle; that’s why it is so easy for an online chat to slip into being so wrong.

“If I didn’t reply or speak the way they wanted me to, then they would say: ‘You’re just too immature for me’. They were so manipulative, but you don’t even notice it.

“Looking back at it now, it’s scary to think that I sent semi-naked pictures to older guys. It could have gone a lot further.”

Peter Wanless, NSPCC chief executive, said: “These numbers are far higher than we had predicted, and every single sexual message from an adult to a child can have a huge impact for years to come.

“Social networks have been self-regulated for a decade and it’s absolutely clear that children have been harmed as a result.

“I urge Digital Secretary Matt Hancock to follow through on his promise and introduce safety rules backed up in law and enforced by an independent regulator with fining powers.

“Social networks must be forced to design extra protections for children into their platforms, including algorithms to detect grooming to prevent abuse from escalating.

And if you're worried about child exploitation and need advice on loads of issues affecting young people - visit the thirteen campaign website - Thirteen.me.uk