Online networks of mainly teenage boys are ‘hugely complex and deeply concerning’, according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). The NCA gave examples from recent court cases of how teens are motivated by gaining notoriety and status. They may share sexual, sadistic and misogynistic online content, carry out data breaches and commit fraud, launch malware or ransomware attacks, and use social engineering and grooming techniques on victims, to coerce them into harming or sexually abusing themselves, siblings or pets.
Online forums or communities are referred to in the NCA’s latest, annual National Strategic Assessment as โCom networksโ. Overall, the SOC (serious and organised crime) threat to the UK increased in 2024, NCA Director General Graeme Biggar said in a foreword to the document. The Assessment went over the NCA’s remit, which runs to economic crime – money laundering and fraud, the threat from both having increased, according to the document.
What they say
Biggar said young people are being drawn into sadistic and violent online gangs where they are collaborating at scale to inflict, or incite others to commit, serious harm. He said: โThese groups are not lurking on the dark web, they exist in the same online world and platforms young people use on a daily basis. It is especially concerning to see the impact this is having on young girls who are often groomed into hurting themselves and in some cases, even encouraged to attempt suicide.
โThe NCA is coordinating UK law enforcementโs response to this emerging threat. We are collaborating with policing, tech companies, safeguarding agencies and psychologists to better understand how young people become offenders and safeguard victims.
โOperating online clearly makes these offenders feel protected and out of reach but that is absolutely not the case. There have already been convictions, we and partners have made arrests in the UK and overseas, and further investigations are ongoing.
โIโd encourage parents and carers to have regular conversations with their child about what they do online, and ensure they know they have your support should they need it.โ
Drugs
As for the drugs trade, the document said that drug supply, consumption, and deaths have all increased. Growth in SOC is principally being driven by online connectivity and the growth of automation tech, the NCA said. The Agency suggested that ‘drug organised crime groups are increasingly collaborating’, to transport and distribute larger shipments into the UK.
Forecast
The NCA forecast that it’s’ highly likely that the overall threat posed by SOC will continue to increase over the next 18 months’, and will challenge law enforcementโs capacity and capability to respond. As a sign of the cross-over between the real and online worlds, the NCA said that ‘online platforms are almost certainly causing some individuals, especially younger people, to develop a dangerous propensity for extreme violence’. Some SOC nominals were linked to incidents of violent disorder in July and August 2024, directed towards migrant accommodation, mosques, and police, whether taking part or organising.
Resources
Teachers can find lesson plans and resources to protect under 18s from online sexual abuse at: www.ceopeducation.co.uk/professionals. Parents and carers can find advice and resources to use at home with their children at: www.ceopeducation.co.uk/parents. And under 18s concerned about their own sexual behaviour or thoughts can find help and advice at: www.shorespace.org.uk.
