Internet Watch Foundation reports surge in child sextortion cases

Reports of child sextortion are rising sharply, with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) recording 462 cases through its Report Remove service in the first six months of the year. This figure already exceeds the 394 reports documented throughout the entirety of the previous year.

Data indicates that boys account for 95 per cent of the reported incidents. The majority of victims are aged 14 to 17, though reports have also involved children as young as seven. In these crimes, predators typically manipulate or trick young people into sharing intimate images, which are then used for blackmail and financial extortion.

In response to the trend, UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated that the government would legislate to block access to nude images for individuals under 18 if technology companies do not implement sufficient safeguards. IWF Chief Executive Kerry Smith warned that the current trajectory poses a significant threat to young lives, emphasizing that the reported numbers likely represent only a fraction of the true scale of the issue.