Sajid Javid demands tech giants step up in fight against soaring online child sex abuse
3 min read
Sajid Javid will demand tech firms play their part in tackling online child sex abuse, as he reveals that tens of thousands of online users could pose a threat to children.
In a speech, the Home Secretary will make clear his “personal mission” to take on child abuse in Britain and in particular demand a crackdown on internet paedophiles.
Mr Javid will unveil the “shocking” figure that at least 80,000 people in Britain are believed to "present some kind of sexual threat" to children online.
He is expected to say: "It was when I visited the National Crime Agency's (NCA) Child Exploitation Online Protection Command that the full horror of the scale and evolving nature of child sexual abuse was really brought home to me.
"One officer I met, who had previously worked in counter-terrorism for over 20 years, told me how in all his years of working he's never been so shocked by the scale of the threat or the determination of the offenders as he is in his current job."
Referrals of child abuse images to the NCA have surged by 700% in the last five years, according to figures.
Mr Javid is expected to call on tech giants and social media companies to ramp up their efforts in removing videos of child abuse from the internet, while pledging greater funding for police to help tackle the scourge.
Writing for the Sun ahead of his speech, the Cabinet minister said he wanted to go “much, much, further” in ensuring law enforcement have “the tools they need to tackle these sick offenders”.
“This is a complex issue and perpetrators are continually evolving to satisfy their depraved activities. But we owe it to children to do more. We must and I will.”
In a warning to online firms, he will add: “I am also clear that all parts of society must play their part in this battle”.
In the article, Mr Javid also warned of “abuse to order” services, which allowed paedophiles to demand abusers on the other end of a live stream to carry out sick acts for just over £10.
“Abhorrent crimes where perverted offenders live stream the rape of innocent youngsters over a web cam – and are ordered to carry out gut-wrenching acts by their conspirators who are watching on a computer from the comfort of their own home.”
He added: “They sicken me to the core. But I am also sickened by the sheer number of these vile abusers.”
Barnardo's chief executive Javed Khan said: “We welcome Sajid Javid’s commitment to ramp up the Government’s efforts to tackle online child sexual abuse.
“The Government must now deliver its promise to make the UK the safest place to be online by forcing online companies to ensure effective safeguards are in place to help better protect children.
“Any delay to acting now could put a generation of children in danger online.”
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