Majority of sextortion cases involve boys as cases double in a year

Reports of so-called ‘sextortion’ made to a helpline are on track to more than double this year compared to the preceding 12 months.

Data from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) shows that 462 cases were registered by its Report Remove service by the end of June 2026, with boys representing 95 per cent of those involved.

This figure surpasses the 394 incidents recorded across all of 2025, which had grown from 151 in 2024.

‘Sextortion’ is when predators persuade young people to share indecent images of themselves, and use them for blackmail.

Kerry Smith, chief executive of the IWF, said: “These figures show the horrors facing young people online are not going away.

“They show a consistently worsening picture – and a trajectory which, if it continues, will only wreak more havoc, hurt and harm on young lives.

“But as always, the numbers cannot tell the whole story. And behind each one of those reports is a desperate child or young person.

“Behind each child and young person is a family. And these numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. We’ll never know the true scale – or how many do not get the help they need.”

Last month, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the government would legislate to block access to nude images for under-18s if tech companies do not take action themselves.

Ms Smith continued: “We welcome the commitment to introducing nudity blocking technology on children’s devices – but there really is no time to lose.

“Every day that passes, criminals are still casting their nets wide, trying to lure thousands of children into harmful, potentially lethal, traps.”

Report Remove, run by the IWF and the NSPCC, allows under-18s in the UK to report when nude or sexual images of them have been shared, or might be shared, online, so that they can be blocked and removed.

Head of child safety online at the NSPCC, Rani Govender, said: “When a young person is sexually extorted, it can be devastating for them and their families.

“And these figures make it clear that more children will continue to fall victim to this horrific crime if platforms fail to act with urgency.

“With the government’s promise last month to introduce legislation making nudity-blocking technology compulsory on children’s devices, tech companies must now to use the resources at their fingertips and make the changes.

“Without swift action from tech companies and the government, this abuse will only get worse. There is no excuse for inaction.”