Children and young people relied on online platforms more than ever for communication, education and entertainment during the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. However, reports have indicated that this increase in time spent online has resulted in children and young people becoming more vulnerable to both criminal and sexual exploitation. Given the hidden nature of this phenomenon it is difficult to get an accurate picture of the extend of child exploitation that is taking place in the UK.
However, there are indications that this is a growing problem. In 2019, the Children’s Commissioner for England estimated that there were 27,000 children at high risk of gang exploitation. The Online Safety Bill’s passage through Parliament provides an opportunity to strengthen legislation on online grooming for the purpose of child criminal exploitation.