Shafaq News- New York
Around 20 million internet-using children aged 12 to 17 across 21 countries experienced sexual exploitation or abuse facilitated by digital technology in a single year, according to a UNICEF report released on Thursday.
The study estimated that more than 15 million children encountered unwanted sexual content, nine million faced pressure to engage in sexual conversations or share sexual images, and four million had sexual images shared without their consent. UNICEF said the global total was likely far higher because many cases go unreported.
Nearly 60% of cases occurred on social media, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Snapchat and TikTok, while 14% took place in online games. More than half involved someone the child already knew, such as a friend, relative or romantic partner, while 38% first encountered the perpetrator online.
Fewer than 1% of cases were reported to police, social workers or helplines.
The report also highlighted growing risks linked to artificial intelligence. UNICEF has separately estimated that at least 1.2 million children across 11 surveyed countries had images manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes in a single year.
Children who experienced technology-facilitated sexual exploitation were about four times more likely to report suicidal thoughts or self-harm and also reported significantly higher anxiety levels than their peers.
The research drew on nationally representative surveys of around 21,000 internet-using children across 21 countries, with data collected in two research rounds conducted primarily in 2020-2021 and 2024-2025. The countries included Kenya, Pakistan, Brazil and Serbia.
Meta said some of the surveys dated back to 2020, before it introduced additional protections such as private-by-default teen accounts and restrictions on adults messaging minors they are not connected to. The company said it would continue combating child exploitation across its apps.
TikTok said it had also introduced safeguards, including private-by-default accounts for users under 18 and technology designed to detect potentially predatory behavior.
UNICEF urged governments and technology companies to strengthen online safety measures, update laws to address evolving forms of abuse, including AI-generated content, and improve reporting and child-protection systems.
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