ECPAT International’s Post

Stark Warning: Dating Apps Are Being Used to Sexually Abuse Children A new report from our colleagues at Childlight - Global Child Safety Institute has uncovered alarming patterns of how dating apps are being misused by men who sexually offended against children — and it’s a wake-up call for regulators and the tech industry. Key findings from the Swipe Wrong report include:  👉 66% of men who sexually offended against children surveyed reported using dating apps — with over 1 in 5 using them daily.  👉 Single mothers are particularly at risk, with offenders grooming them to access their children.  👉 11% of surveyed men admitted to sexually offending against children.  👉 Most dating apps do not require identity verification and lack safeguards to detect grooming behaviour. The report also reveals that the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children is embedded in a much larger ecosystem — with mainstream companies profiting, whether through advertising revenue, payments, or platform engagement. 📢 This is why regulation matters. We need binding, enforceable standards that compel platforms to:  ✅ Vet users with meaningful verification measures  ✅ Detect and disrupt grooming and sexual exploitation patterns  ✅ Be accountable for the ecosystems they profit from 👏 We applaud Childlight’s vital research and echo their call: prevention must be central to our global response. 🔗 Sign up to learn more about our work on protecting children from sexual exploitation: https://lnkd.in/gbTMQPdM Read more - https://lnkd.in/euqk7rpE