Amid the ongoing debate on online children safety, a new report from UNICEF has highlighted around 20 million internet-using children across 21 countries experienced sexual abuse or exploitation on digital platforms in a single year. Most of these reported cases took place on social media.
The report noted that 1 in 5 children aged between 12 to 17 in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe have faced at least one form of sexual abuse online during the year before they were surveyed. UNICEF asserted that the actual global number is likely to be much higher, with many cases worldwide expected to reach around tens of millions.
Moreover, the research found that different forms of online abuse affected millions of children. Around 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, while about 9 million were pressured into sexual conversations or asked to share sexual images. Another 4 million children had sexual images shared without their permission.
The study was based on nationally representative surveys conducted between 2020 and 2025. Around 21,000 internet-using children across 21 countries took part in the research, including children in Kenya, Pakistan, Brazil and Serbia.
Social Media Platforms Account For Most Cases
Social media emerged as the biggest area of concern in the report. Almost 60 per cent of reported incidents took place on social media platforms. Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok were among the platforms most frequently mentioned in the findings. Online gaming accounted for another 14 per cent of cases.
UNICEF is calling on governments and technology companies to strengthen safety measures for children on digital platforms.
The organisation also wants laws to be updated to cover newer forms of abuse, including AI-generated sexual content. It has further urged authorities to improve systems that allow children to report abuse and receive support. With billions of children now spending significant amounts of time online, UNICEF’s findings highlight the growing need for stronger protections across social media, gaming and other digital platforms.
