The NSPCC has reported a sharp rise in children being blackmailed over sexual images in the UK, with contacts to its Childline service relating to online sexual abuse and exploitation increasing by 36% in the past year. The charity highlighted that blackmail threats were discussed in two out of five online abuse-related counselling sessions, totaling 1,043 out of 2,444 sessions in the year to 31 March.
Common Blackmail Tactics
According to the NSPCC, the most common forms of blackmail include financial sextortion, where victims are tricked into sending explicit selfies and then threatened with the release of the images unless they pay money. Other tactics involve threats to use AI to manipulate photos taken from children’s phones into explicit images, or coercion by former partners demanding fresh explicit images.
Children's Experiences
Children contacted by the NSPCC described being tricked into sending nude selfies by criminals pretending to be teenage girls, or sending photos to older men and then being threatened with the creation of explicit videos. The charity emphasized that these cases often involve sophisticated manipulation.
MPs Call for Action
MPs on the science, innovation and technology committee have stated that maintaining the status quo in social media regulation is “not acceptable.” In a letter to Tech Secretary Liz Kendall, committee chair Chi Onwurah called for tech companies to provide more data on platform impacts on children and greater transparency on algorithms that curate social media feeds for young users.
Government Consultation
The government is currently consulting on online safety, with proposals including an Australian-style under-16 age limit for social media, restrictions on livestreaming, and controls on addictive features like infinite scrolling. The consultation closes on 26 May. The NSPCC has warned that an outright ban could have unintended consequences, such as exposing children to dangerous platforms when they turn 16, and instead urges strengthening the Online Safety Act (OSA) to require tech companies to protect children from harmful content.
Charity Recommendations
The NSPCC recommends tackling addictive app features, implementing strict age-ratings for social media platforms, and ensuring smartphones carry software that blocks nude images. The charity also supports the removal of children’s faces from school websites and social media to prevent AI manipulation by blackmailers.
Chris Sherwood, NSPCC chief executive, said it was “crucial” the government uses the consultation to force tech platforms to “make these spaces safe for young users.” A government spokesperson responded that the OSA already protects children from online harms and that they are working with tech companies to prevent under-18s from sharing or taking nude images, adding: “We won’t hesitate to go further in ensuring children are safe online.”
