A new report by the WeProtect Global Alliance warns of a dramatic increase in child sexual abuse on the internet. According to the report, the number of reported cases worldwide has doubled since 2019, with an 87% rise in reported cases, totaling over 32 million cases worldwide. The group is urging a global effort to safeguard children on the internet. They highlight a significant increase in self-generated sexual images of children aged 7 to 10 from 2020 to 2022. Additionally, they express concern that AI is being used to produce child sexual abuse material.

Iain Drennan, executive director of the WeProtect Worldwide Alliance, emphasized the issue's importance and urged worldwide action to safeguard children online, while also stressing the need to ensure effecitve protective measures in the UK as well.

Sir Peter Wanless, the Chief Executive of NSPCC, emphasized the significance of the forthcoming implementation of the Online Safety Bill in the UK, claiming that the bill is essential in establishing new internet safety standards, especially for children, to combat online abuse.

Why does it matter?

The newly revealed statistics in the report give a deeply concerning picture of the escalating crisis of online child exploitation. The doubling of reported cases since 2019 highlights an urgent need for immediate action on a global scale. This report serves as a wake-up call, underscoring the critical importance of concerted efforts from governments, tech companies, NGOs, and communities to protect the safety and well-being of children online.