Germany: 19% of minors experience cybergrooming, study finds

cybergrooming online child safety North Rhine-Westphalia internet predators youth protection

A study by the Landesanstalt für Medien NRW reveals that approximately 19 percent of children and adolescents in Germany have experienced cybergrooming. The prevalence is notably higher among older teenagers, with roughly 25 percent of those aged 14 to 17 affected, compared to about 12.5 percent of children aged 8 to 13.

Common forms of grooming identified include adults requesting explicit images or videos, attempting to arrange in-person meetings, or sending unsolicited pornographic material. Social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, as well as online gaming environments like Roblox and Fortnite, are frequently used by perpetrators to establish contact.

Despite the risks, the study indicates a downward trend in the overall proportion of victims compared to previous years. Additionally, awareness is increasing; 43 percent of young people are now familiar with the term cybergrooming. Many victims have also demonstrated improved defensive behaviors, with 70 percent breaking off contact and 70 percent blocking perpetrators after an incident.

Entities

Instagram · Jessica Bouška · Landesanstalt für Medien NRW · North Rhine-Westphalia · Tobias Schmid

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 5 SOURCES] Approximately 19 percent of children and adolescents in Germany have experienced cybergrooming. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.nn.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.wz.de · www.nrz.de
[● 5 SOURCES] Eleven percent of respondents had contact with an adult online who wanted to meet them in person. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.nn.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.wz.de · www.nrz.de
[● 5 SOURCES] Ten percent of respondents were asked to send images or videos of themselves. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.nn.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.wz.de · www.nrz.de
[● 4 SOURCES] Seventy percent of victims broke off contact with the perpetrator, and seventy percent blocked the person. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.nn.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.wz.de
[● 4 SOURCES] Forty-three percent of children and adolescents have heard of or read about the term cybergrooming. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.nn.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.wz.de
[● 4 SOURCES] Approximately 12.5 percent of 8- to 13-year-olds have experienced cybergrooming. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.nn.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.wz.de
[● 4 SOURCES] About 25 percent of 14- to 17-year-olds have been affected by cybergrooming. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.nn.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.wz.de
[● 5 SOURCES] The proportion of respondents experiencing cybergrooming has decreased compared to previous years. www.allgaeuer-zeitung.de · www.nn.de · www.bbv-net.de · www.wz.de · www.nrz.de