U.K. National Crime Agency Warns of Rising Threat from Online Gangs Targeting Teens

The National Crime Agency highlights increased incidents and grooming of teenagers through misogynistic and harmful content.

The U.K.'s National Crime Agency has sounded the alarm over a significant and emerging threat posed by online gangs preying on teenagers across Britain. In its recent assessment of crime trends, the agency warned that these groups, which promote sadistic and misogynistic content, have dramatically intensified their efforts to lure young people, particularly teenage boys, into a culture of violence and abuse.

According to the report, incidents linked to these nefarious online communities surged sixfold from 2022 to 2024, revealing a concerning spike in grooming and blackmail incidents targeting vulnerable teenagers. Graeme Biggar, director general of the National Crime Agency, stated that these groups operate within the same digital spaces that teenagers frequent daily rather than lurking in the darker corners of the internet.

“The dangers posed by these online gangs are severe. Young people are being drawn into collaborative efforts to inflict harm or incite violence against others,” Biggar expressed. The report indicates that many teenage boys are becoming involved in sharing violent content and directly targeting young girls, some as young as 11 years old, to manipulate or encourage self-harm.

The troubling trend underscored in the National Strategic Assessment emphasized that while adults may also play a role in these communities, the vulnerability of young females is particularly alarming. The findings bring to light the urgency of protective measures and educational initiatives to safeguard teenagers from the devastating influence of such groups.