NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (HRNW) — UNICEF has issued a major warning over the growing threat of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation and abuse, estimating that nearly one in five children aged 12 to 17 surveyed across 21 countries experienced at least one form of such abuse during a single year.
In a report released September 3, UNICEF estimated that approximately 20 million children were subjected to technology-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse.
The report found that more than 15 million children were exposed to unwanted sexual content, while about 9 million were pressured into sexual conversations or asked to share sexual images against their will. Approximately 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. The findings also challenge the perception that online abuse is primarily committed by strangers: 57 percent of cases involved someone the child already knew.
The organization warned that underreporting means the true scale of the problem is likely considerably larger.
UNICEF is calling for stronger protection of children in digital environments, better reporting mechanisms and greater responsibility from technology companies to prevent abuse and respond effectively when children are targeted.
The findings place renewed pressure on governments, technology companies, educators, parents and civil-society organizations to strengthen child-safety measures as children’s lives become increasingly connected to digital platforms.
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Disclaimer:
This report is based on UNICEF’s September 2026 research and publicly available information. HRNW presents the findings for public-interest journalism and child-rights awareness.
