New statistics indicate that cases of extortion reported to police in Canada have increased by almost 300% over the past decade, as online crime has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These concerning increases are related to the use of social media platforms and other electronic service providers,” said Lianna McDonald, executive director of the Canadian Center for Child Protection, in a press release.
“They should be seen as a wake-up call. »
Crime data released by Statistics Canada on Tuesday also showed an 8% increase in the non-consensual distribution of intimate images from 2020 to 2021. There was also an increase in indecent or harassing communications ― up 4% ― and threats made ― up 3%.
The nature of these crimes has moved online, Statistics Canada said, and may have been exacerbated by increased internet activity during the pandemic. There were nearly 15,500 cybercrime harassing and threatening behavior offenses in 2021, up 21% from 2019.
More child luring reports
Stephen Sauer, director of Cybertip.ca, said the problem has gotten worse over the past year. The Winnipeg Child Protection Center operates Cybertip, Canada’s tipline for reporting online child sexual abuse.
There was a 120% increase in online luring reports between January and June, Sauer said. The line now sees 300 extortion cases a month, up from 155 earlier this year.
“What it really says is that there is a significant problem here. The police are seeing an increase, we are seeing an increase,” Sauer said.
The number of people targeted is also likely higher, Sauer noted, but many don’t report out of feelings of embarrassment or shame, especially when it comes to children.
“I think there are a lot of kids trying to deal with these situations on their own without an adult or telling us,” he said.
Sauer said children were often specifically targeted. Foreign-based organized crime networks pose as young women on the social media platforms teens use, such as Snapchat and Instagram.
They convince them to send sexually explicit pictures or videos, then immediately threaten to share the content if those kids don’t pay them money, or sometimes more pictures.
The consequences of these crimes can be deadly. A 17-year-old Manitoba boy took his own life earlier this year, just three hours after being targeted online.
Police departments across Canada have issued warnings after a surge in sextortion scams.
Statistics Canada also noted an increase in incidents involving luring a child through a computer ― up 5% from 2020.
Last month, a 13-year-old Albertan went missing for more than a week before being found in Oregon, and her family say she was caught up in the mind games of a man she met on line. A 40-year-old American man has been arrested and charged with rape, sexual assault and kidnapping.
A regulatory framework demanded for platforms
Sauer said such cases involving online crimes can be extremely difficult for police to investigate, as most social media companies are not located in Canada and are not necessarily required to provide information to officers.
Parents should talk about online safety with children, but Mr Sauer warns that this cannot be the only guarantee for children, who are increasingly using the internet for school and socializing.
Social media companies could make immediate changes to keep children safe on their platforms, Sauer said. The federal government could also introduce regulations, he added.
Ottawa has just concluded an advisory council on online safety and is in the process of consulting to form a regulatory framework to tackle harmful content online.
Lianna McDonald said the new crime data reinforces the need for the government to “quickly impose a regulatory framework on tech companies”.
“We don’t allow other types of companies to introduce products that are potentially harmful to people into the Canadian market,” she said.
“However, in the digital space, it’s a rat race to the detriment of children. »