New data released by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) shows almost 20,000 webpages of child sexual abuse imagery in the first half of 2022 included ‘self-generated’ content of 7- to 10-year-old children.
IWF warns full effects of lockdown are only now becoming apparent as younger children are groomed into sexual abuse online.
‘Vital’ child protection work sees top honour for IWF’s Susie Hargreaves - The NSPCC has made Ms Hargreaves an honorary member of the NSPCC council
A cyber-led sporting challenge reaches new heights: expanding impact in tear two. Pinsent Masons’ steadfast commitment has done more than just raise funds; it has put a spotlight on the critical work of the IWF.
New Internet Watch Foundation data reveals a sharp rise in commercial child sexual abuse websites, with criminal gangs monetising children’s exploitation through subscription models and digital payments. The charity warns of systemic failures across online platforms, financial services and encrypted technologies that allow abuse to flourish. As reports of sexual extortion surge, particularly targeting boys, the IWF calls for stronger regulation of payment systems, encryption safeguards and decisive government action to disrupt the online economy of child sexual exploitation.
Swedish behavioural detection company Tuteliq has joined the IWF as a Member, bringing technology that identifies grooming, coercion and exploitation by analysing how conversations evolve over time - spotting predatory patterns before a child is harmed, across text, voice, image and video in 27 languages. Tuteliq will incorporate the IWF's URL List and Image Hash List into its detection pipeline and draw on IWF research and policy expertise to keep pace with evolving threats, in a partnership both organisations say strengthens the multi-layered approach needed to stop children slipping through the gaps online.
We would not expect children to protect themselves from sexual abuse in schools, clubs or youth organisations so why would we adopt such an approach online?
Explore IWF's 2024 report detailing efforts to combat online child sexual abuse imagery, featuring key data, trends and collaborative initiatives.
Explore IWF's 2024 data on online child sexual abuse imagery, highlighting key trends, challenges and collaborative efforts to enhance online safety.
Explore IWF’s major achievements in 2025, from tech innovations to impactful partnerships, in combating child sexual abuse online.
Learn how we collect and analyse data for the 2025 Annual Data & Insights Report. Explore our rigorous methodology for identifying online child sexual abuse.
Read the Executive Summary of our 2025 Annual Data & Insights Report. We summarise the key trends, data, and impacts of our work over the past year.