Influencers exploiting social media to groom children, say police

New Straits Times

25-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: Sexual grooming of children over the Internet involving influencers is becoming increasingly rampant, say police.
According to a report by Kosmo, Federal Police Sexual, Women and Child Investigation Division (D11) principal assistant director Senior Assistant Commissioner Siti Kamsiah Hassan said over 30 per cent of all child sexual cases received involved influencers or those regarded as idols.
It is reported that these individuals used their popularity on social media to approach and gain the trust of victims aged 18 and below before committing indecent acts.
Siti Kamsiah said on Sunday: "These individuals influence social media and are seen as idols by certain groups.
"So, it is easier for them to approach, exploit, and gain the trust of victims, especially children.
"Such cases are on the rise because these so-called idols or influential figures are sprouting like mushrooms on social media platforms compared to before.
"Not all influencers are social media content creators. Teachers, artistes, athletes or religious figures are often idolised by the public.
"However, child grooming cases are becoming more prevalent and easier to commit through social media platforms," she said.
Siti Kamsiah stressed that the police was constantly intensifying intelligence efforts, especially in detecting the online sharing of sexual materials.
"This step is to curb such activities from being normalised by people because continuous exposure to pornography can lead to sexual addiction.
"We are also identifying their online networks, including group members, before making arrests," she said.
She added that the police would also work with psychological and criminological units to build a behaviour-based database of offenders.
It was reported yesterday that a male influencer was remanded for four days to assist in an investigation into allegations of sending lewd messages to a 14-year-old girl.
The 22-year-old man was arrested on Thursday after the Gombak district police headquarters received a report from the victim's mother, who claimed her daughter had received sexual messages and images via social media from the suspect.
Commenting on the recent case, Siti Kamsiah said the investigation was still ongoing.
The case is being investigated under Section 15 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.