1 in 5 youths targeted by online sexual abuse, UNICEF finds

An estimated 20 million children in 21 countries across the globe experienced sexual exploitation or abuse on digital platforms in a single year, according to a comprehensive UNICEF study. The research, conducted between 2020 and 2025, surveyed roughly 21,000 internet-using adolescents aged 12 to 17. Over one in five youths faced online sexual abuse during that period.

Unwanted sexual content reached around 15 million minors, while 9 million youths faced pressure to engage in sexual conversations or share explicit imagery. Additionally, 4 million victims suffered non-consensual sharing of their sexual images. Nearly 60% of reported incidents occurred on social media platforms, with Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok being the most frequently identified platforms.

Online gaming environments accounted for 14% of incidents. Meta representatives highlighted that the survey data pre-dates recent corporate protections implemented in 2022, including defaulting teens to private accounts and preventing adults from messaging teens not connected to them. The company emphasized its commitment to combating child exploitation and supporting law enforcement.

Snapchat and TikTok emphasized preventative measures and structural safeguards for minors. However, perpetrator dynamics often involve individuals the child already knew, with more than half of all reported cases involving personal acquaintances. Artificial intelligence has introduced new dimensions of risk, with approximately 1.1 million minors reporting the creation of AI-generated sexual images or videos depicting them in nine surveyed nations.

Despite the high volume of abuse, formal reporting remains exceptionally low, with fewer than 1% of cases reaching authorities. The psychological toll of tech-facilitated abuse is severe, with affected minors facing a fourfold increase in suicidal ideation and elevated levels of anxiety and self-harm tendencies. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the profound emotional and mental distress caused by these digital encounters, urging governments and technology conglomerates to overhaul current safeguards, strengthen digital platform safety measures, and update legal frameworks to combat emerging AI threats.