Social Media Crimes Soar: 11,675 Reports Linked to Facebook and Twitter in One Year

Strategic Insights -

Ashleigh Hall's tragic murder in 2009 at the hands of a serial sex offender who had groomed her on Facebook has sparked a growing concern about the dangers of social media. Recently, a Sunday People investigation has revealed a 149 per cent rise in crimes linked to Facebook and Twitter since 2010. The probe found that sex crimes involving social networking sites have more than quadrupled in the past five years, from 354 in 2010 to 1,549 in 2014.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sex crimes involving social networking sites have increased by 348 per cent since 2010, with 1,549 reported cases in 2014.
  • Over 4,300 sexual offences with links to Facebook and Twitter have been reported to police since 2010.
  • A 48 per cent rise in crime reports linked to Facebook and Twitter was recorded in 2013, with 7,897 offences logged.
  • Police forces in England and Wales mentioned Facebook and Twitter in 11,675 crime reports last year alone, a 149 per cent surge since 2010.
  • A serial sex offender, Peter Chapman, was jailed for life after murdering 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall, who had been groomed on Facebook.
  • Isabella Sorley and John Nimmo, who threatened to kill and rape feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez on Twitter, were jailed last year.
  • The Lucy Faithfull Foundation has published guides to help parents protect their children online and offers advice to those whose youngsters have already gotten into trouble.
  • Facebook has safety tools to protect users and investigators who work with crime-fighting agencies, while Twitter sets strict rules of conduct and will shut down users who break them.
  • The Centre for Crime Prevention's director, Peter Cuthbertson, says long sentences are the surest way to protect the public and cut reoffending.
  • Victim Support's chief executive, Mark Castle, emphasizes the need for police, social media platforms, and networking sites to take online crimes seriously and protect people.

Statistics:

  • 1,549 sex crimes linked to social networking sites reported in 2014, a 348 per cent increase since 2010.
  • Over 4,300 sexual offences with links to Facebook and Twitter reported to police since 2010.
  • 11,675 crime reports linked to Facebook and Twitter in 2014, a 149 per cent surge since 2010.
  • 7,897 crimes linked to Facebook and Twitter reported in 2013, a 48 per cent increase since 2012.
  • 354 sex crimes linked to social networking sites reported in 2010.
  • 35 years minimum sentence given to Peter Chapman for the murder of Ashleigh Hall.

Sources:

  • Sunday People
  • Centre for Crime Prevention
  • Victim Support
  • Lucy Faithfull Foundation
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Police forces in England and Wales