North Wales recorded 535 child sexual abuse image crimes last year. Charities seek stricter online safety rules to protect children.
Charities like the NSPCC want stronger rules. They want to protect kids better online. Wales saw about six crimes each day. South Wales had 964 crimes, while North Wales had 535. Gwent had 503, and Dyfed-Powys had 192.
The NSPCC learned more via a request. Snapchat hosted 50% of these crimes, where platform use was known. Meta platforms hosted 25% more. Instagram saw 11%, Facebook had 7%, and WhatsApp had 6%.
Charities sent leaders a letter about safety. The NSPCC and other groups wrote to officials. They worry about the Illegal Harms Code. They think current online safety laws are weak. Ofcom says services must remove illegal content.
The charities say this has loopholes. Platforms can avoid basic protections now. Secret messaging helps child abuse crimes. The secrecy helps criminals share images. They can avoid getting caught easily.
The NSPCC wants the UK to act. They want stricter rules for messaging. They want safeguards to prevent abuse. Encryption stops providers from checking messages.
The NSPCC worries abuse will continue. Childline saw more blackmail cases. They saw a 7% increase in 2023/24. They counselled 903 kids about online coercion.
The NSPCC wants tougher regulations. Tech companies should be responsible. Chris Sherwood said they allow illegal material to spread. He thinks companies disregard child safety. He wants strong protections, even if it means changes. He says companies that don’t act have no excuse.