Snapchat Dominates Online Grooming Cases, Surpassing Other Platforms

New data reveals Snapchat as the leading platform for child grooming, prompting calls for stricter regulations.

Police data shows a record 7,062 cases of sexual communication with a child in 2023-24, an 89% increase since 2017-18.
Snapchat was used in 48% of grooming cases where the communication method was recorded, making it the most prevalent platform.
Meta-owned platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram accounted for 28% of the cases, a significant decrease from previous years.
The NSPCC urges Ofcom to strengthen regulations under the Online Safety Act to better protect children from online predators.
Snapchat states its commitment to zero tolerance for exploitation and outlines measures to safeguard young users.