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Snapchat and Instagram grooming becoming 'easier'

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Snapchat and Instagram grooming becoming 'easier'

Experts warn children as young as five years old are now being groomed on social media and gaming sites

Experts are urging parents to talk to their children amid warnings social media grooming is becoming "quicker" and "easier" than ever before.

Childline said Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram were the top platforms children named in counselling about online sexual abuse last year. The companies have been approached for comment.

Avon and Somerset Police's child exploitation prevention officer Andri Nicolau said children as young as five can be targeted through social media, gaming and messaging platforms. She urged parents to encourage kids to ask for help without fear of blame or punishment.

The warning comes after three men were jailed for grooming a 17-year-old girl on Snapchat before raping her.

Research by the NSPCC found sexual communication offences involving children in the South West have more than doubled since the offence was introduced seven years ago, to 756 in 2024/25.

Of those, 300 were recorded by Avon and Somerset Police, 96 by Gloucestershire Constabulary and 61 by Wiltshire Police.

The charity also said Snapchat was mentioned in 324 counselling sessions about online sexual abuse between April 2025 and March 2026, a 19% increase on the previous year.

TikTok (234) and Instagram (197) were the next most frequently mentioned platforms.

Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the NSPCC, said: "It's deeply disturbing that hundreds of children have come to us in the past year alone, disclosing experiences of online sexual abuse linked to these popular apps and platforms.


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