The police say Snapchat is the most common platform for online grooming. Over 7,000 cases were reported last year – the most ever. Nearly half of these cases involved Snapchat.
The NSPCC thinks tech companies need to do more to protect children. Snapchat says they have strict rules against such behavior.
One victim was only eight years old. Groomers contacted her through a gaming app and then moved to Snapchat. Parents need to stay vigilant.
Snapchat’s design makes it easy for groomers to hide their actions. The messages disappear, making it hard to track. The NSPCC wants better safety measures from all social media platforms.
Grooming cases on WhatsApp have also increased. The government plans to enforce rules to make tech companies keep children safe online.
Vocabulary List:
- Grooming /ˈɡruː.mɪŋ/ (noun): The act of establishing an emotional connection with a child to exploit them.
- Vigilant /ˈvɪdʒ.ɪ.lənt/ (adjective): Keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
- Enforce /ɪnˈfɔːrs/ (verb): To compel observance of or obedience to (a law rule or obligation).
- Measures /ˈmɛʒərz/ (noun): Actions taken to achieve a particular purpose.
- Platforms /ˈplæt.fɔːrmz/ (noun): Digital services or applications used for communication and interaction especially on the internet.
- Increase /ɪnˈkriːs/ (verb): To become or make greater in size amount or degree.
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