Snapchat has begun implementing new restrictions on friend searches for users under 18 in the UK, by default disabling the appearance of minors' accounts in suggestions to limit access to them by strangers. This measure comes after pressure from the UK communications regulator Ofcom, following data linking the platform to a large percentage of recorded child sex crimes.
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According to an analysis by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) of UK police data, Snapchat was linked to approximately 40% of crimes involving sexual contact with a child, in cases where the platform could be identified. This statistic highlights the risks of dating features being used to target minors.
The Find Friends feature allows users to discover accounts of people they may know, based on shared contacts and friends, location, and age, according to Snapchat. This feature is designed to facilitate communication, but it can also make accounts visible to people who don't know the account holders personally.
An abuser might exploit this space by creating a fake account or pretending to be a teenager, then sending a friend request and starting a private conversation. These seemingly innocent messages could escalate into attempts to gain the child's trust, request personal information or photos, or exert pressure and threats. While friend requests alone don't lead to exploitation, they can provide a gateway to accessing minors.
The association explains that online grooming begins by targeting the child and communicating with him, then building trust and deepening the relationship, and may end with isolating him from his surroundings and exploiting him. These practices are difficult to detect when conversations take place through private channels or the perpetrator deliberately hides his identity.
What do the numbers say?
In an analysis published in 2025, the association said that data from 44 British police forces recorded 7,263 cases of child sexual abuse during 2024, and of the 2,111 cases in which the platform used could be identified, 40% were linked to Snapchat, compared to lower percentages for WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.
This percentage does not mean that 40% of all sexual crimes against children occurred via Snapchat, nor does it prove that the platform's design caused them. Rather, it measures the app's share of specific crimes that could be linked to a particular platform. Police data does not necessarily include all cases of abuse, as children or their families may not report some of them.
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