Discover the latest data and insights in the fight against online child sexual abuse imagery in the 2025 Annual data & insights report from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
Research report by PIER at Anglia Ruskin University, providing insight into girls and their parents' understanding of self-generated CSAM.
Speaking in the Lords, several Peers highlight the crucial work of the IWF and call for action from the Government to provide age-appropriate online safety advice.
The IWF is calling for greater clarity on online harms as MPs warn new online safety legislation needs to be made more robust to help keep children safe online.
“Imagine your darkest moments exposed to an unknown number of people. Then imagine strangers watching your pain for sexual satisfaction. That’s what happens for some of the children whose abuse images we see online."
Parents across the world are calling for clearer, stronger action to keep children safe online.
Tamsin McNally, Hotline Manager at the IWF, appeared live on National BBC Breakfast news to warn about the increasing prevalence of “sextortion” online.
The latest data from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reveals a record rise in UK children reporting online sexual extortion, with the Report Remove service now handling an average of nine cases a week. In 2025, the helpline saw a 66% increase in self-reports from under‑18s, confirming 1,175 cases involving harmful imagery — more than a third linked to sexually coerced extortion. Criminals are increasingly exploiting young people’s nude imagery to demand money, further content, or compliance, often using aggressive threats and personal information to create fear and control. Report Remove, run by the IWF in partnership with Childline, allows young people to block or remove nude images of themselves from the internet — even before they are shared. The majority of sextortion cases involved boys aged 14–17, highlighting a growing trend in targeted online abuse. Childline counsellors continue to support children facing blackmail, fear, and isolation. The service remains free, confidential, and available to any young person worried about their imagery being shared online.