UNICEF Study Finds 60% of Online Child Sexual Abuse Happens on Social Media
Almost 60% of incidents happened on social media, with Facebook (read more here), Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and WhatsApp named as primary platforms. Additionally, 14% occurred in online games. Approximately 20 million children experienced sexual exploitation or abuse online within a single year across 21 countries, according to a UNICEF study published on September 3, 2026.
Key Findings:
- Prevalence: One in five internet-using children aged 12 to 17 across surveyed countries experienced online sexual exploitation or abuse.
- Social Media Dominance: Social media platforms host the majority of such incidents, underscoring the need for stricter regulations and improved safety measures on these sites.
- AI Imagery: Generative tools have introduced a new dimension, with an estimated 1.1 million children reporting AI-generated intimate images of themselves across nine countries surveyed in 2024 and 2025.
- Perpetrators: In most cases (57%), the perpetrators were known to the child, either as peers, partners, friends, or family members. Online contacts operating fake accounts were responsible for 38% of cases.
Impact and Challenges:
Children who experienced online sexual abuse reported elevated levels of anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm. However, few incidents are reported to authorities, with fewer than 1% of cases being documented, making it difficult to set enforcement priorities.
UNICEF Recommendations:
UNICEF advocates for product design that prioritizes safety, emphasizing the responsibility of platforms to build safeguards into their products from the outset.