Counselling For Cyber Bullying Doubles In Five Years
Children as young as nine have contacted the NSPCC’s Childline complaining of being tormented by name-calling, blackmail and death threats posted publicly on social media profiles and blogs.
The National Crime Agency have today (5th December) released a new campaign to help parents and carers protect their children from online offenders like Sam.
A video has been made, which parents & carers are encouraged to watch, find out #WhoIsSam and then begin the conversation of online safety with their children.
LIVE STREAMING PLATFORMS A 'RISK'
This new campaign is launched after police have warned about sex offenders increasingly using live online streaming platforms to exploit children.
Children need to be educated on the risks associated with streaming sites, the National Crime Agency said.
It said offenders were learning how young people communicated online and "using this knowledge to abuse them".
In one week, authorities identified 345 vulnerable children and arrested 192 people, 30% involving streaming, blackmail and grooming.
Social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat all allow some form of live capability, while there are also many pure live streaming services, including Periscope, Omegle, Liveme and Lively.
Police say abusers thrive on the immediacy these live platforms offer - targeting children with tricks, dares and threats to manipulate them into nudity or sexual acts.
WHAT TO DO
- If you are concerned about the apps your child may be using, you can get information about what various apps do; and the safety platforms you can put in place, at ThinkUKnow and Internet Matters.
- Report any incidents of online grooming & exploitation to CEOP.
- Get local support and advice about online and offline grooming & exploitation to Warwickshire CSE.
