UK Sex Offenders Must Report Social Media and Dating Accounts

Published: 17 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

The UK government will force convicted sex offenders to inform police about all social media and dating accounts under proposed regulations. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, confirmed offenders who fail to disclose this information could face up to five years imprisonment. This measure aims to curb targeted online attacks and strengthen monitoring of individuals with histories of sexual offences.

At the end of March 2024, 70,052 registered sex offenders resided in England and Wales, representing one offender per 763 people aged ten and over. National Crime Agency figures indicate that nearly one in five sexual offences by strangers involve online targeting. Historically, police have had limited oversight of sex offenders’ online activity, leaving gaps in public safety enforcement.

Labour leader Keir Starmer plans to outline a full strategy this Thursday to halve violence against women and girls within ten years. Critics have previously expressed concerns about delays in publishing these safety measures. Under the new rules, registered offenders must notify police if they create new social media or dating app accounts or begin a new job.

Police will leverage this data to monitor offenders more closely and reduce risks of reoffending. These changes will be implemented as secondary legislation under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. Officers can pursue sexual harm prevention orders to restrict internet use, including banning social media and dating profiles, when online activity suggests a heightened risk of offending.

Offenders must also provide detailed personal information and retain internet histories to prove compliance with these regulations. A newly established online offences unit, supported with nearly £2 million in funding, will use covert and intelligence operations to combat online sexual abuse and stalking.

Mahmood emphasised, “For too long, these crimes have been considered a fact of life. That’s not good enough. The government will use the full power of the state to bear down on abusers, stopping them in their tracks. Rapists, sex offenders and abusers will have nowhere to hide.”

The End Violence Against Women coalition praised the reforms. Director Andrea Simon called for mandatory guidance for tech platforms with significant penalties for breaches. She noted that online sexual abuse has long been minimised, leaving victims without support and enabling perpetrators to continue harming women unchecked.

Further changes to NHS services in England aim to support survivors of sexual violence and abuse. By 2029, every region will implement referral systems connecting victims with specialist help through their GP under the initiative Steps to Safety. GP staff will receive training to manage domestic abuse and sexual violence more effectively.

The government has also allocated £50 million to aid child sexual abuse survivors through specialist care. This funding will expand the “child house” model, providing all necessary care, advocacy, and therapy in a single location, reducing repeated trauma for young victims. Currently, one child house operates in north London, with plans to extend the service to every NHS region in England.

Previously announced measures include appointing specialist rape and sexual offences investigators in each police force and providing £19 million to councils for safe housing for domestic abuse survivors. Survivor organisations submitted a super-complaint this Monday highlighting “inhumane” delays in police investigations, with rising cases taking more than three years to resolve.

These comprehensive reforms demonstrate the UK government’s commitment to tightening oversight of convicted offenders, enhancing online safety, and improving support systems for survivors, ensuring justice and protection across communities.