New Delhi .Internet and digital platforms have certainly become a medium of education, entertainment and communication for children, but with their increasing use, serious challenges related to online safety are also emerging. According to an international study, in the last one year, about 20 million children in the world faced activities like online sexual abuse or harassment. The study also indicates that the actual number may be higher.
This study is based on data collected from about 21 thousand children using the Internet in 21 countries. Apart from Brazil and Pakistan, this included countries like Kenya and Serbia. Data related to children was collected between 2020 and 2025. India was not part of this study, so its data cannot be considered directly representative of the situation of children in India.
The study primarily looked at the online activities and experiences of children aged 12 to 17 years. According to statistics, about 1.5 crore children came in contact with unwanted and objectionable sexual content. Nearly 9 million children experienced online interactions or contact that pressured them into conversations of a sexual nature.
Social media emerged as a major medium in cases of online harassment. According to the study, about 60 percent of the cases of misconduct reported were related to social media platforms. Incidents of inappropriate behavior with children were reported on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Snapchat.
Online gaming was also found to be associated with risk. About 14 percent of the misconduct cases were related to gaming platforms. Children interact with other users while gaming, which may increase the risk of inappropriate interactions and exploitation.
An important point of the study was that the person who harmed children was not always an unknown online contact. More than half of the cases involved a person the child already knew. These also included known people like friends, relatives and partners. Due to this, the challenge before parents and families regarding the safety of children becomes more serious.
According to the data, 38 percent of the children reported that they faced such sexual activity or harassment online for the first time. More than one in five children aged 12 to 17 in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe reported experiencing at least one form of online sexual exploitation.
The report also expresses concern about new risks arising from the use of Artificial Intelligence. In data collected from nine countries, an estimated 11 lakh children reported that objectionable AI-generated photos or videos of themselves were created. This has posed a new challenge regarding the digital identity and mental security of children.
For the online safety of children, there is a need for constant awareness and effective security arrangements at the level of family, school, technology companies and administration. It is important to educate children about the risks associated with sharing personal information, suspicious contacts and inappropriate content. Also, timely action on any complaint and strong security measures on digital platforms can play an important role in keeping children safe.