Sharp rise in online child pornography: study

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found a rise across multiple categories of online child pornography in 2021. 

The organization said there was a 35 percent increase from 2020 to 2021 in suspected child sexual exploitation online. 

The group’s cyber tipline received 29.3 million reports as it continues to track the threat to children online.

The number of reports went up in categories such as CSAM (possession, manufacture and distribution), child sex tourism, child sex trafficking, child sexual molestation, misleading domain name, online enticement of children for sexual acts and unsolicited obscene material sent to a child. 

The group was able to respond to notifications of images or videos in less than two days in 2021. 

NCMEC sent reports to the police and was able to alert law enforcement to 4,260 potential new victims in 2021. 

Globally 84 law enforcement agencies across 143 countries have access to the group’s tipline reports.

“There are 71 international police forces who are able to receive CyberTipline reports directly, and 61 additional countries who are able to receive reports through a U.S. federal law enforcement attaché,” the group states. 

“In support of easier adoption and use by international users, the Case Management Tool fields and interface are available in 8 languages with 10 additional translations planned. Domestically all Internet Crimes Against Children task forces also have access,” it added.