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What is being done to tackle grooming & sexual exploitation online?

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In our final post we will discuss what steps are being carried out by both platforms and Governments to tackle to problem of grooming online.   Reminder of the Problem Grooming is unfortunately so prominent on social media that it has become a challenge for social media platforms and governments to implement successful policy changes to eradicate it. For reference, there are estimates of as many as five million predators on the internet.  For reference, 6,350 Sexual Communication with a Child offences were recorded last year (2022/23). This is an 82% increase since 2017/18 when this offence came into force according to the NSPCC .  More than 5,500 offences were against primary school children, with under-12s being affected by a quarter of cases, which highlights the severity of the issue at hand.  Instagram: A case study of mediocrity Instagram has been consistency ranked the worst in terms of the level of harm carried out on the platform.  In response the plat...
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Stopping Online Sexual Exploitation

  Sexual exploitation is considered the most damaging of online harms.  It is hugely damaging for victims and is a disgusting practice carried out by twisted individuals.  This article will outline the key features of sexual exploitation online, provide information on how to report incidents, and highlight what is being done to stop this horrific practice.  How to spot indicators of online sexual exploitation Online Sexual exploitation can involve developing a relationship with a child to enable their abuse and exploitation both online and offline. Online platforms, such as social media, messaging and live streaming, can be used to facilitate this.  Criminals often hide within platform design, such as direct messaging but these are not the only places where exploitation can occur.  Perpetrators use online platforms to further their goal of exploiting individuals for favours, and sometimes to facilitate continued abuse offline. Criminals can o...
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Making Bank!: How to avoid loosing your cash to financial expoitation

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  Our previous post showed how you can spot the signs of someone trying to take advantage of you for financial exploitation.  Here we will discuss how you can take action to prevent loosing your money to fraud, blackmail, and scams.  What to do if you are a victim of Financial Exploitation?  If you believe you are a victim of financial exploitation you should notify the policie immediately.  The best way to avoid becoming a vicitim is to learn the identifiers of financial expolitiation and know when someone may be trying to exploit you.  While some forms are difficult to spot or mitigate, such as blackmail, scams are relativeley easy to spot if you know what you are looking for.  Some scammers have become wise and can now reproduce highly convincing copies of websites and official emails.  If you are asked to pay a bill that you don't agree with, always contcat the company first to verify.   Never give your personal information or bank detail...
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Financial Exploitation Online & How to spot it

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This week's focus is on exploitation, one of the most common online harms.  This article will focus specifically on financial exploitation which can happen to anyone.  It is important to recognise the signs of exploitation so that you can avoid becoming a victim.   What is Financial Exploitation?  Financial exploitation is the process of perpetrators persuading victims to hand over sums of money through acts such as fraud, blackmail, and scams.   TSB found that  86% of impersonation fraud cases over the year originated from Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp).   It is important to recognise the identifiers of exploitation to avoid falling victim yourself. Fraud occurs when someone deliberately deceives a victim into securing money by illegal means.  This can be paired with a scam initiative or conducted by someone with a close personal connection to a victim.  Fraud can branch out from financial exploitation and include iden...
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How to stop a Cyberbully

  Here's how you can limit the damage of cyberbullying…   Almost 20% of young people in the UK report that they have experienced some form of cyberbullying.  It is important that people can recognise how to stop cyberbullying before it    If you experience cyberbullying you should consider:   ·        Talking to someone about your experience. Close family or friends may be able to help and will be supportive.   ·        Blocking the bully and reporting the behaviour to the platform in question. Some social media platforms have changed their policies to take a strict line against bullying.   ·        Seek help from organisations offering support. Charities such as the Cybersmile Foundation and NSPCC can offer support and guidance to help avoid cyberbullying and keep safe online.   ·        Remember to always contact the ...
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CYBERBULLYING: What is it and why do people do it?

What is Cyberbullying? Cyberbullying can be defined as bullying and online abuse that takes place in a digital environment. It can happen to anyone in places where content is consumed, interact with, or shared. This can be via texting, email, social media apps, game chats, and more.   Here are some of the most common forms of cyberbullying:   1. Sending hateful messages or threats.  This can be done primarly through text messages, social media messages, or email.  2. Posting embarrassing photos or videos.  This could be done without the person's consent, or it could be done by taking something that was originally posted privately and sharing it publicly.   Depending on the nature of the content these acts have potential criminal consequences.  3. Spreading rumours or lies.  This could be done online or in person. Creating fake accounts or impersonating someone is often linked to this. These can enable harassment and the sprea...
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Introducing Bros not Bullies

Welcome to Bros Not Bullies!  We are a group of students aiming to tackle online abuse. We will do this through informing our followers, spreading awareness and helping people to understand how to stop online hate.   So, what is online abuse and why does it matter?   Online abuse is any type of abuse that happens on the internet where someone feels subjected to offensive material, harassment or bullying.   Some of the most common types of online abuse are: Cyberbullying Cyberbullies can use social media, text messages, apps, or online forums to send, post, or share negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. Cyberbullying can include: sending mean, threatening, or embarrassing texts or emails; posting embarrassing or hurtful photos or videos of someone online; spreading rumours about someone online; impersonating someone online to make them look bad; Excluding someone from online groups or activities. Sexual or financial exploitation Onli...
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