Record numbers of British under 18s are being extorted or blackmailed by criminals threatening to publish nude or sexual imagery, experts warn.
In the first six months of this year, 462 reports involving sextortion had been confirmed as containing child sexual abuse imagery - a 17% increase on the total number of reports dealt with last year (2025).
Boys make up 95% of cases
Almost all (95%) of the reports confirmed so far this year exclusively feature boys. The reports were made to the UK’s Report Remove helpline, which is run by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and Childline.
Criminals coerce or trick young people into sending private images before threatening to publish them unless they hand over money or comply with other demands.
Experts warn the threats and intimidation can be extreme, and young people have even been driven to taking their own lives as a result.
Rise in reports since 2021
According to analysts at the IWF, a lot of the imagery used to coerce under 18s has been taken by the young person themselves. This usually takes place using a phone or other camera-enabled device.
Report Remove, which was set up in 2021, received 19 reports relating to sextortion in 2022. This rose to 164 in 2023, and was 151 in 2024, before a sharp rise to 394 reports in 2025.
In September, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told MPs the Government will introduce primary legislation to require major tech platforms, including Google and Apple, to build in device-level protections for children to prevent them from sending or receiving nude imagery.
Government pledges legislation
Kerry Smith, IWF’s chief executive, said: “These figures show the horrors facing young people online are not going away. They show a consistently worsening picture – and a trajectory which, if it continues, will only wreak more havoc, hurt, and harm on young lives.
“This is why it is so important that the new Government does not take its foot off the pedal with online safety.
“We welcome the commitment to introducing nudity blocking technology on children's devices – but there really is no time to lose. Every day that passes, criminals are still casting their nets wide, trying to lure thousands of children into harmful, potentially lethal, traps.”
Rani Govender, head of child safety online at the NSPCC, said: "When a young person is sexually extorted, it can be devastating for them and their families. And these figures make it clear that more children will continue to fall victim to this horrific crime if platforms fail to act with urgency.
"Without swift action from tech companies and the Government, this abuse will only get worse. There is no excuse for inaction."
A government spokesperson said: “The fact that children are being groomed and manipulated into sharing intimate images online for blackmail and exploitation is beyond appalling, and this government will not tolerate it.
“We are therefore taking urgent action to make Britain the first country in the world where it is impossible for children to take, share or view nude images on their devices. We are rapidly preparing legislation to make this a reality.
"Alongside this, tech companies must be part of the solution and meet their legal and moral obligations. Where they fall short, the government will not hesitate to step in. We won't stand on the sidelines while children come to harm."
Report Remove, a free, confidential helpline, allows under 18s in the UK to self-report suspected nude or sexual imagery of themselves which has been shared, or risks being shared, online. The imagery can then be blocked and removed.
