Paedophiles may be targeting parents on dating apps to access children
Paedophiles may be trying to gain access to children through their parents' dating apps, researchers have warned.
A report co-led by the University of Edinburgh found men who have sexually offended against children use dating apps daily, leading to calls for stronger regulation of apps used by 381 million people according to Statista.
Research by the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute, hosted by the University of Edinburgh, found men who sexually abuse children are nearly four times more likely to use dating sites than non-offenders.
The unit found 66% of men who have sexually offended against children use dating platforms – and more than 22% use them daily.
🚨Swipe wrong 🚨 👩👧👧Single parents who use dating sites are at risk of being targeted by child sex abusers. 👨💻New research shows child abusers are more likely to use dating sites. 🛡️Dating sites can and must improve safeguarding https://t.co/3KQdkVBau2 #AbuseIsPreventable pic.twitter.com/TJfPX5COX1
— Childlight – Global Child Safety Institute (@Childlight_) April 9, 2025
The report, called Swipe Wrong, is part of a broader investigation into the multibillion-dollar industry of child sexual exploitation and abuse, which financially benefits perpetrators, organised crime and, according to researchers, mainstream companies.
It warned sexual exploitation and abuse of children has become a pandemic, impacting more than 300 million every year.
Research based on a survey of about 5,000 men in the UK, US and Australia showed single mothers are at particular risk, while 11.5% of men surveyed admitted having sexual feelings towards children and 11% confessed to sexual offences against minors.
It followed a separate survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology that found 12% of dating app users received requests to facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse – most often related to their own children.
Most dating sites do not require new users to provide evidence of their identity, and the report shared new insights into perpetrator behaviour online.
It found offenders may appear trustworthy, as they are more likely to have a child in their house, work with children, and have a higher education level.
The report also found men who have committed sexual offences against children engage more frequently in certain online activities, like online shopping, dating and gaming, and are also more likely to own and use cryptocurrency and to buy sexual content online.
Report co-author Professor Michael Salter, director of the Childlight East Asia and Pacific Hub at the University of New South Wales, said: 'Our findings provide clear evidence that dating apps lack adequate child protection measures, and loopholes are exploited by abusers to target single parents and their children.
'There's no reason why the robust user identification methods we have in other industries, such as banking and gambling, should not also have to be adopted by dating app platforms.
'Similarly, there are a range of AI tools and systems that can flag problematic words and conversations that can and should be used.'
Professor Deborah Fry, Childlight's global director of data and professor of international child protection research at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Child sexual exploitation and abuse is a global public health emergency that requires emergency measures – but it's preventable.
'We must mobilise globally, focusing not just on reactive law enforcement but on prevention strategies tackling underlying determinants of abuse – including financial and technological ecosystems sustaining it.'
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Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Yahoo
5 signs you're being catfished like on ITV's Fake
In the age of dating apps, love might be just a swipe away, but so is deception. ITV's latest thriller, Fake, has cast a spotlight on the threat of online romance scams. The eight-part Australian series premiered on ITVX on 27 April and hits TV screens from 3 May. It follows Birdie Bell, a magazine writer who thinks she's met her dream man on a dating app – a charming, successful rancher named Joe. But as their whirlwind romance deepens, so do Birdie's doubts, and the cracks in Joe's story begin to show. Fake is based on writer Stephanie Wood's real-life memoir, detailing her 15-month relationship with a con artist – a cautionary tale now dramatised to reveal just how easy it is to fall for someone who isn't who they say they are. Around 22% of people in the UK have personally experienced catfishing and 40% know someone who's been catfished, according to a 2022-23 Statista survey. Catfishing is the deceptive act of creating a fake online identity, often using fake photos or fabricated details to lure someone into a relationship. However, it isn't always about emotional manipulation – in some cases, it's financial. According to Barclays, the average amount lost to romance scams jumped to £8,000 in 2024, up from just under £5,800 the year before. Whether it's stolen photos, too-good-to-be-true stories, or emotionally manipulative conversations, spotting a catfish early could save you from emotional and financial harm. Yahoo UK spoke to a psychologist and cybersecurity experts, who revealed the five signs you're being catfished. Dr Lori Beth Bisbey, an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society, warns that you're more likely to be sucked into a con artist's scam if a relationship moves quickly. She recommends meeting up with the person you're talking to sooner rather than later. "If somebody you're talking to on an app is resistant to getting off the app, initially, I would be a bit concerned," she says. "The more you talk to somebody, the better you think you know them, and people assume that they know people far better than they do before they've ever met them. "We get a lot of visual cues when we meet people and so never having seen someone, there's a lot of nuance that you miss when you're mostly in writing or on the phone." Dr Jason Nurse, a reader in cyber security at the University of Kent, also says refusing to meet face-to-face or dodging video chats is a common tactic used to maintain the deception. "If you do arrange to meet, always choose a public place; I'd even suggest asking a friend to come along," he recommends. Dr Bisbey suggests cross-referencing any information the person you're dating provides by looking at their social media accounts. If they don't have any, this could be a red flag. "Everybody I know, even up into their seventies, has social media these days, right?," she says. "At least one social media. So if somebody's telling you they don't have social media, that should be a bit of a red flag." If the person you're speaking to claims to be successful, pay attention to how they present themself, Dr Bisbey warns. "They don't have to come dressed to the nines, they don't have to be wearing a bunch of designer stuff. In fact, people who have lots and lots of money are often very understated, but their understated casual look is of high quality," she explains. "You can spot the difference between high-quality clothing and stuff from cheaper shops, so look to see if what they're saying adds up. I think when you're meeting people online, being a bit of a detective is definitely important. When you ask questions, make sure that you listen to what they're saying and see if it adds up." 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You can request information about a partner or ex-partner from the police under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, better known as Clare's Law. This enables them to release information about any previous history of violence or abuse a person might have. If you're worried a friend or family member is at risk of abuse, you can also put in a "Right to Ask" Clare's Law request, meaning the police will consider disclosing any information to you. Read more about relationships: 5 relationship red flags you should never ignore, according to an expert (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read) 6 potential signs your partner is being unfaithful as Amanda Holden's Cheat: Unfinished Business joins Netflix (Yahoo Life UK, 7-min read) I love being single, it's going to take someone extraordinary for me to give it up (Yahoo Life UK, 6-min read)
Associated Press
09-04-2025
- Associated Press
When dating apps turn dangerous
EDINBURGH, United Kingdom, April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Women looking for love online are being warned of a sinister side to dating apps, with new evidence that abusers may try to groom them to gain access to their children. Research by Childlight Global Child Safety Institute finds men who sexually offend against children are nearly four times more likely to use dating sites than non-offenders. The unit, hosted by the University of Edinburgh and University of New South Wales, found nearly two thirds (66%) of men who sexually offended against children used dating platforms – and over one in five (22%) used them daily. The report is part of a broader investigation into the multi-billion-dollar industry of child sexual exploitation and abuse, which financially benefits perpetrators, organised crime and even mainstream companies. While Childlight warns that sexual exploitation and abuse of children has become a pandemic, affecting over 300 million every year, it says education, legislation and technological measures can help prevent it. Its findings, based on a survey of about 5,000 men in Australia, the UK and US, represent the latest evidence of the risk of dating site misuse by people who sexually offend against children. It follows a separate recent survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology that found 12% of dating apps users received requests to facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse – often related to their own children. Recent high-profile cases include Scottish lorry driver Paul Stewart who manipulated single mothers via dating apps to gain access to their children for sexual abuse. He was jailed for over three years last December. Around 381 million people use dating apps like Tinder, according to Statista. Report co-author Professor Michael Salter, director of the Childlight East Asia and Pacific Hub at UNSW, said: 'Our findings provide clear evidence that dating apps lack adequate child protection measures, and loopholes are exploited by abusers to target single parents and their children.' The survey of 5,000 men found 11.5% admitted having sexual feelings towards children, while 11% confessed to sexual offences against minors. Most dating sites do not require new users to provide evidence of their identity. Salter recommends user verification processes, like mandatory ID checks, and tools to detect predatory behaviours like grooming language or suspicious messaging patterns. Childlight's research also reveals that mainstream companies profit from and perpetuate the global trade in technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse of children (CSEA). They include payment transfer firms and social media platforms where illegal child sexual abuse images are present and where abuse-related traffic can increase advertising revenues. Debi Fry, Childlight's Global Director of Data and Professor of International Child Protection Research at University of Edinburgh, said: 'Child sexual exploitation and abuse is a global public health emergency that requires emergency measures but it's preventable. We must mobilise globally, focusing not just on reactive law enforcement but on prevention strategies tackling underlying determinants of abuse — including financial and technological ecosystems sustaining it.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Yahoo
Paedophiles may be targeting parents on dating apps to access children
Paedophiles may be trying to gain access to children through their parents' dating apps, researchers have warned. A report co-led by the University of Edinburgh found men who have sexually offended against children use dating apps daily, leading to calls for stronger regulation of apps used by 381 million people according to Statista. Research by the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute, hosted by the University of Edinburgh, found men who sexually abuse children are nearly four times more likely to use dating sites than non-offenders. The unit found 66% of men who have sexually offended against children use dating platforms – and more than 22% use them daily. 🚨Swipe wrong 🚨 👩👧👧Single parents who use dating sites are at risk of being targeted by child sex abusers. 👨💻New research shows child abusers are more likely to use dating sites. 🛡️Dating sites can and must improve safeguarding #AbuseIsPreventable — Childlight – Global Child Safety Institute (@Childlight_) April 9, 2025 The report, called Swipe Wrong, is part of a broader investigation into the multibillion-dollar industry of child sexual exploitation and abuse, which financially benefits perpetrators, organised crime and, according to researchers, mainstream companies. It warned sexual exploitation and abuse of children has become a pandemic, impacting more than 300 million every year. Research based on a survey of about 5,000 men in the UK, US and Australia showed single mothers are at particular risk, while 11.5% of men surveyed admitted having sexual feelings towards children and 11% confessed to sexual offences against minors. It followed a separate survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology that found 12% of dating app users received requests to facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse – most often related to their own children. Most dating sites do not require new users to provide evidence of their identity, and the report shared new insights into perpetrator behaviour online. It found offenders may appear trustworthy, as they are more likely to have a child in their house, work with children, and have a higher education level. The report also found men who have committed sexual offences against children engage more frequently in certain online activities, like online shopping, dating and gaming, and are also more likely to own and use cryptocurrency and to buy sexual content online. Report co-author Professor Michael Salter, director of the Childlight East Asia and Pacific Hub at the University of New South Wales, said: 'Our findings provide clear evidence that dating apps lack adequate child protection measures, and loopholes are exploited by abusers to target single parents and their children. 'There's no reason why the robust user identification methods we have in other industries, such as banking and gambling, should not also have to be adopted by dating app platforms. 'Similarly, there are a range of AI tools and systems that can flag problematic words and conversations that can and should be used.' Professor Deborah Fry, Childlight's global director of data and professor of international child protection research at the University of Edinburgh, said: 'Child sexual exploitation and abuse is a global public health emergency that requires emergency measures – but it's preventable. 'We must mobilise globally, focusing not just on reactive law enforcement but on prevention strategies tackling underlying determinants of abuse – including financial and technological ecosystems sustaining it.'
