EU Report Warns of Sharp Rise in Online Abuse of Children

A 2025 report by France’s 3018 child‑online‑protection hotline recorded 124,500 solicitations, indicating a dramatic escalation in digital violence against minors. One in four victims is under 11 years old and 25 % of the cases involve sexual abuse such as grooming and sextortion. Non‑consensual sharing of intimate images occurs in one out of ten reports, and the service is now handling a suicide‑related crisis every three days – a rise of 3,000 % over ten years.

TikTok accounts for the majority of reports, with more than 1,000 notifications and a frequency three times higher than Instagram and four times higher than Snapchat. Despite these alerts, over half of the illegal content remains online on platforms like Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). The report also notes that AI tools are now used in 25 % of sextortion cases, employing deep‑fakes or automated chat agents to manipulate children.

The 3018 observatory calls for faster removal of illegal material and greater transparency from platforms. It highlights the European model’s success: the e‑Enfance/3018 mobile app usage rose five‑fold in 2025 and is set to be deployed across all EU member states from September 2026.