UK ministers threaten social media crackdown after 100,000 offences linked to Snapchat
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said social media firms “had their chance” to self-regulate as new data reveals that thousands of criminal offenses have been linked to Snapchat in the last five years.
On Tuesday, Sir Keir Starmer issued an ultimatum to technology companies, telling them they must stop children from sending or receiving naked images of themselves, or the Government will change the law.
Now, new FOI data obtained by ITV has found that more than 100,000 criminal offenses had been linked to social media app Snapchat since 2021, including multiple counts of rape and assault.
Paedophiles are using the ‘Snapmap’ feature on the platform to track down and interact with children, and it also helps them to identify hotspots where they are using the app.
Asked if companies should be trusted to tackle the issue, Ms. Kendall said: “They’ve had their chance. Time and time and time again, they’ve had a chance to put this right. The question isn’t if we’re going to act, it’s how.”
She added: “We’ll be coming forward with our proposals imminently … but I think about parents who are crying out for help.
“They want to do the right thing, they want to make sure their children are safe, but it’s really difficult to keep on top of all of these apps. So I think the reason why parents have been so supportive of a ban is because of the simplicity.
“It’s a clear message about expectations.”
A Snapchat spokesperson said: “The stories shared by these families are devastating. Sexual exploitation is an abhorrent crime, and we are working hard to combat it, including by continuously evolving our safety mechanisms as criminals change their tactics.
“We also work closely with the police and safety experts to keep activity like this off our platform and to bring criminals to justice. Our goal is to create a safe environment for our community.”
Government consultation on the issue, which closed on May 26, received around 120,000 responses, making it the second-largest government consultation in history after a consultation on equal marriage in 2012.
Sir Keir Starmer told his Cabinet on Tuesday morning that the response “showed the strength of feeling about the issue” and said there was “no question” the Government would act.
Ms. Kendall previously said an Australian-style ban on under-16s using social media is “on the table,” along with other options such as curfews or limits on addictive features.
But ministers appear to be leaning towards a ban, with 90 percent of parents who responded to the consultation saying they would back one.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also repeatedly called for a ban, telling the BBC on Tuesday: “Social media is for adults, it’s not for children.”
Technology & Business Editor
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