Nearly 20 million children ages 12 to 17 experienced technology-facilitated sexual abuse or exploitation over a one-year period across 21 countries, according to a new report by United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund(UNICEF).
The figure represents nearly one in five children who use the internet in the countries surveyed. The study surveyed about 21,000 children and included detailed interviews with young people who had experienced online sexual abuse or exploitation.
More than 15 million children were exposed to or sent unwanted sexual content, while about 9 million faced pressure or coercion to share sexual conversations or images.
More than half of the reported incidents occurred on social media platforms. However, fewer than 1% of cases were reported to authorities, highlighting significant gaps in reporting and child protection systems.
The report also warned of the growing threat of artificial intelligence being used to create fake sexual images of children.
UNICEF urged technology companies and governments to strengthen platform design, reporting mechanisms and laws to better protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse.
