Social media grooming is reaching younger children more quickly, experts warn

Experts say online grooming is becoming quicker and easier, with children as young as five targeted through social media, games and messaging apps. Police and child protection groups are urging parents to talk openly with children, reassure them they will not be blamed and help them seek support.

Childline said Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram were the platforms most often named in counselling about online sexual abuse last year. NSPCC research found sexual communication offences involving children in south-west England rose to 756 in 2024/25, more than double the figure seven years earlier; Snapchat was mentioned in 324 counselling sessions between April 2025 and March 2026, up 19% on the previous year. The warning follows convictions including a man jailed for grooming a 17-year-old on Snapchat, while the Internet Watch Foundation says more young people are seeking help over threats to share sexual images.