NSPCC: Thousands of Child Abuse Crimes Every Month Online Safety Bill Delayed

More than 3,500 online child abuse offenses will take place each month after the online safety bill is delayed, children's charity NSPCC has warned.

The association said its analysis of Home Office crime data found more than ten times as many online child sexual abuse offenses recorded by police in England and Wales. over the past decade.

According to this data, 42,503 obscene posts (child abuse images) and sexual grooming crimes were recorded in the past year, compared to 3,706 there ten years ago.

The NSPCC said it had now written to the two Conservative leadership candidates urging them to commit to adopting the online safety regulation in full and without delay when they become Prime Minister.

Every second time passes on the online security bill, an ever increasing number of children and families face the unimaginable trauma of preventable child abuse and

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC

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The charity said delaying the bill further or 'watering down' the proposals 'would represent the reversal of an important overt commitment that commands high levels of support from the public".

The Online Safety Bill was due to continue its passage through Parliament last week, but this was postponed until the fall when Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak take office.

Online safety laws would force social media and other platforms to protect their users from harmful content, imposing a duty of care on them, with heavy fines and access to their blocked sites s 'they were breaking the new rules.

< p>But the NSPCC said the delay would leave more children at risk for treatment, and said the scale of the problem should serve as a wake-up call to the next Prime Minister.

"With every second, the t As we pass over the Online Safety Bill, ever-increasing numbers of children and families are facing the unimaginable trauma of preventable child abuse,” said NSPCC Chief Executive Sir Peter Wanless. /p>

"The need for legislation to protect children is clear, commands overwhelming support from MPs and the public and builds on the UK's position as a world leader in the fight against harm online.

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"Strong regulation can be put in place while protecting freedom of expression and privacy.

"There can be no mission more important to the government than protecting children from abuse and the next Prime Minister must deliver on the promise made to families in the election manifesto and make the Online Safety Bill a national priority. »