Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia.

Data show the problem spiked during COVID-19 when children began spending more time online B次元官网网址� but rates did not wane as police anticipated after lockdowns ended.

In B.C., they soared, almost quadrupling from 2021 to 2023.

Const. Solana Pare is now warning exploitation of children is likely here to stay, as a technological race between police and predators gains momentum.

B次元官网网址淭echnology is becoming more and more available, and online platforms and social media sites are being used by children younger and younger, which provides an opportunity for predators to connect with them,B次元官网网址� Pare said in an interview.

Police say child exploitation cases in B.C. went from about 4,600 in 2021 to 9,600 in 2022 to 15,920 reports last year.

The upwards trend is seen nationally, too. Statistics Canada says the rate of online child sexual exploitation reported to police rose by 58 per cent from 2019 to 2022, and police data show cases have continued to rise.

The RCMPB次元官网网址檚 National Child Exploitation Crime Centre reported that from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, it received 118,162 reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation offences B次元官网网址� a 15 per cent increase compared with the previous year.

Online child sexual exploitation, Pare explained, includes offences such as sextortion, child luring and the creation or distribution of sexually explicit images of a minor.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 see these types of reports going away,B次元官网网址� Pare said. B次元官网网址淲e only see them increasing because the use of electronic devices and social media, and kids being online earlier and earlier is becoming more common. ThereB次元官网网址檚 going to be more opportunity for predators to target children online.B次元官网网址�

Monique St. Germain, general counsel for the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, said the most common type of child luring is communicating with a youth online in order get them to produce sexual abuse material. She said B次元官网网址渢he pandemic accelerated those types of cases, and it hasnB次元官网网址檛 slowed down.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭he tools (Canadian authorities) have to deal with this type of behaviour are inadequate for the scope and the scale of whatB次元官网网址檚 going on,B次元官网网址� she said.

THE RISE OF B次元官网网址楽EXTORTIONB次元官网网址�

Online exploitation gained international attention in 2015 in the case of Port Coquitlam, B.C., teenager, Amanda Todd, who died by suicide after being blackmailed and harassed online by a man for years, starting when she was 12.

The month before the 15-year-old died, she uploaded a nine-minute video using a series of flash cards detailing the abuse she experienced by the stranger and how it had affected her life. ItB次元官网网址檚 been viewed millions of times.

Dutch national Aydin Coban was extradited to Canada for trial and, in October 2022, he was convicted of charges including the extortion and harassment of Todd.

Since then, the term B次元官网网址渟extortionB次元官网网址� has made its way into the vernacular as more cases come to light.

Among them was Carson Cleland, a 12-year-old Prince George, B.C., boy who died by suicide in October 2023 after falling victim to the crime. In New Brunswick that same month, 16-year-old William Doiron took his own life after falling victim to a global sextortion scheme.

Mounties across Canada have issued news releases warning of increased cases in their communities, noting that the consequences for the victims can include self-harm and suicide.

St. Germain said technology, such as artificial intelligence, is also becoming more user-friendly.

B次元官网网址淭he existence of that technology and its ease of use and ready accessibility is a problem, and it is going to be an increasingly large problem as we move forward,B次元官网网址� she said.

Pare said police are also adapting to technological advancements in order to keep up with the ever-changing online landscape.

B次元官网网址淧olice are constantly obtaining training on digital technologies to increase our knowledge and understanding of all the intricacies involving their use and how to capture any digital evidence,B次元官网网址� she said.

Pare said the true rates of the crime are impossible to determine, but pointed to increased social awareness and legislation across North America around mandatory reporting of child abuse material from social media companies as a potential reason for the increase.

ItB次元官网网址檚 not going undetected any longer, she said.

B次元官网网址淎dditionally, thereB次元官网网址檚 been a lot of use in artificial intelligence to detect child exploitation materials within those platforms.B次元官网网址�

Pare said B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 up to each individual platformB次元官网网址� to ensure there is no child sexual abuse material on their sites or apps.

B次元官网网址淲ith mandatory reporting, itB次元官网网址檚 putting the onus back on the electronic service providers to ensure they have measures in place to prevent this from happening, and if it is happening that it is being reported,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭hat being said, there are times when things donB次元官网网址檛 get located.B次元官网网址�

That is why the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has been advocating for the adoption of the Online Harms Bill that the federal government introduced in February, St. Germain said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 shocking that up until now, weB次元官网网址檝e relied on companies to self regulate, meaning weB次元官网网址檝e just relied on them to do the right thing,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淲hat we are seeing in terms of the number of offences and in terms of all the harm that is happening in society as a result of online platforms is completely tied to the decision not to regulate. We need to have rules in any sector, and this sector is no different.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址楥ANADA IS REALLY BEHINDB次元官网网址�

The Online Harms Bill covers seven types of harms, from non-consensual sharing of intimate images to content that can be used to bully a child.

Earlier this month, Justice Minister Arif Virani announced the Liberal government will split the bill into two parts: dealing with keeping children safe online, and combating predators and issues related to revenge pornography.

B次元官网网址淲e are putting our emphasis and prioritization and our time and efforts on the first portion of the bill,B次元官网网址� Virani told reporters on Dec. 5.

Such measures would include a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada, which would compel social media companies to outline how they plan to reduce the risks their platforms pose to users, particularly minors. It would have the power to levy fines and evaluate companiesB次元官网网址� digital safety plans.

St. Germain said such a split B次元官网网址渕akes sense,B次元官网网址� noting that most objections to the bill are related to changes to the Criminal Code and not measures around curbing harms to children.

B次元官网网址淭here obviously are differences of opinion in terms of what is the best way forward, and what kind of regulatory approach makes sense, and who should the regulator be, but there does seem to be consensus on the idea that we need to do more in terms of protecting children online,B次元官网网址� she said, adding that the organization is still in support of the second half of the bill.

She said the United Kingdom previously passed its own Online Safety Act that will come into effect in 2025, which includes requiring social media firms to protect children from content such as self-harm material, pornography and violent content. Failure to do so will result in fines.

B次元官网网址淐anada is really behind,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭he amount of information that has come out of the U.K., the amount of time and care and attention that their legislatures have paid to this issue is really quite remarkable, and we really hope that Canada steps up and does something for Canadian children soon.B次元官网网址�

In the absence of national legislation, provinceB次元官网网址檚 have filled the void.

In January, B.C. enacted the Intimate Images Protection Act, providing a path for victims to have online photos, videos or deep fakes expeditiously removed. Individuals are fined up to $500 per day and websites up to $5,000 a day if they donB次元官网网址檛 comply with orders to stop distributing images that are posted without consent.

B.C.B次元官网网址檚 Ministry of the Attorney General said that as of Dec. 11, the Civil Resolution Tribunal had received a total of 199 disputes under the Intimate Images Protection Act.

It said the Intimate Images Protection Service had served more than 240 clients impacted by the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, adding that four awards of $5,000 each and one for $3,000 had been supplied as of mid-December.

Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta and Saskatchewan have also enacted legislation targeting unauthorized distribution of intimate images.

St. Germain said the use of provincial powers is also necessary, but itB次元官网网址檚 not enough.

B次元官网网址淎 piece of provincial legislation is going to be very difficult to be effective against multiple actors in multiple countries,B次元官网网址� she said, noting that the online crime is borderless.

B次元官网网址淲e need something bigger B次元官网网址� more comprehensive. We need to use all tools in the tool box.B次元官网网址�

Brieanna Charlebois, The Canadian Press