MELKSHAM Town Council is launching an appeal to ask social media providers to provide better protection for children from online exploitation.
“Online child abuse images and child grooming are increasing because of encryption which prevents the law enforcement agencies taking action against the offenders,” explained cllr Richard Wiltshire at a meeting last month who proposed the council take action on this “serious problem”.
The town council intends to ask the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) to discuss at their next AGM the motion to appeal to social media providers, in a bid to get the backing of other councils across the country.
The town council will also appeal to Wiltshire Council to take the motion to the Local Government Association (LGA).
“We could start a snowball effect,” said mayor cllr Pat Aves.
The town council’s resolution in full said, “This council instructs the clerk to write to NALC requesting that a motion is taken to their AGM and conference calling on social media providers to offer better protection to children and young people from being exploited from criminal use of social media platforms, and the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies as a result of encryption.
“Council further requests that the members of Wiltshire Council representing the town, request that Wiltshire Council make a similar ask of the LGA.”