UNICEF has warned of a major online child-protection crisis after a new study estimated that 20 million children aged 12–17 — almost one in five surveyed children — experienced at least one form of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse across 21 countries in a single year.
The UNICEF report found that more than 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, while about 9 million were pressured into sexual conversations or sharing sexual images. Around 4 million experienced the non-consensual sharing of sexual images of themselves.
UNICEF said nearly 60 percent of cases occurred on social media platforms, while 14 percent occurred in online games. More than 40 percent of cases were never disclosed to anyone, and fewer than 1 percent were reported to authorities.
The agency called for stronger safeguards, better reporting mechanisms and greater accountability from digital platforms to protect children online.
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Disclaimer: This report is based on publicly available information and official UNICEF/UN sources. HRNW is an independent news platform and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the United Nations or UNICEF.
