PM slams Twitter for not banning paedophiles

Prime Minister Theresa May has slammed Twitter for not banning paedophiles who share their fantasies on the service.

An investigation by The Sun found hundreds of anonymous profiles used by men to discuss their cravings for children. They justify their comments by insisting they never act upon their desires, and therefore aren’t committing a crime.

They describe themselves as “non-contact” or “nonoffending”, meaning they don’t abuse children physically. But some of them admit that their “AOA” - age of attraction — is as low as five. Many use cartoon characters as their profile picture, seemingly to attract children.

Some say they are raising awareness of MAPS (minorattracted persons), comparing paedophilia to being gay or bisexual because it is a sexual preference they claim they were born with. One user said he was trying to challenge the “negative stigma” associated with paedophilia.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister called the reports “extremely concerning”. “Behaviour that is unacceptable in real life is unacceptable online”, he added.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper called the revelations “very disturbing”, while Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen urged Twitter to suspend the accounts.

Kath Stipala, of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood, said: “Twitter should not be allowing accounts that defend or normalise the sexualisation of children”.

Twitter said the accounts had been shown to the National Crime Agency (NCA), adding: “When we are made aware of links to images of or content promoting child sexual exploitation they will be removed without further notice and reported”.

A source from the NCA told The Sun that the police doesn’t ask Twitter to delete the accounts because officers find them a “useful” insight into online paedophilia.

Twitter provides a form for users to report ‘child sexual exploitation issues’ at https:// help.twitter.com/forms/cse.