The mayor of London has announced the creation of a dedicated team of cyber security experts to help protect residents of the city from online harm.
Sadiq Khan has provided £170,000 of funding for a one-year pilot to boost the reach and capacity in the capital of The Cyber Helpline, which is said to have helped 600,000 nationally since 2020.
The London service will work through a secure chatbot on a Cyber Helpline website for London, recording and processing requests for help and advice on a 24/7 basis. These will be passed on to a dedicated London team for one-to-one support by phone and email contact as needed.
It will provide people with guidance to improve their online confidence and personal safety, and create pathways to referrals to the police and other relevant agencies for those experiencing online harm.
Harrassment, stalking, sextortion and hacking
The mayor’s office said the majority of the Cyber Helpline cases have been about online harassment, cyber stalking, sextortion and hacked social media accounts, with fewer than 35% of those seeking help reporting their cases to the police.
Khan said: “Too often those impacted don’t know where to turn for expert help and advice. That’s why today I’ve announced new investment to set up a dedicated London helpline team within the award winning charity The Cyber Helpline to fill the gap in the specialist support available for those in need.
“This new service will provide Londoners with free expert advice on cybercrime 24 hours a day as part of our action to build a safer London for everyone.”
