Sextortion Reports to NSPCC More Than Double as Tech Deadline Passes

Child sextortion is accelerating at an alarming rate. New data from the NSPCC reveals that Childline counselling sessions about financially motivated sexual extortion more than doubled in the past year, jumping from 120 cases in 2024/25 to 242 in 2025/26. Behind each number is a child — often a teenage boy, often targeted through gaming chats and social media DMs — who felt trapped, ashamed, and completely alone.

The scale of the crisis is growing fast. The NSPCC reported that children as young as 11 are being contacted by criminals posing as peers or love interests. Once the predator has a compromising image, the demands begin: pay up or the image gets shared. Ransoms range from £20 to £3,000, and many victims comply out of sheer terror, only to face escalating demands. The NSPCC’s Rani Govender described victims as feeling “completely helpless” when they reach out to Childline.

A government deadline came and went. The UK Home Office gave Apple and Google until September 8, 2026, to activate built-in nudity-blocking safeguards on children’s devices — technology that would flag and block the sharing of explicit images before they leave a child’s phone. Neither company met the deadline. The government has threatened legislation to force compliance, but as the NSPCC’s CEO Chris Sherwood put it: “Children can’t continue to bear the brunt of tech companies’ inaction.”

What parents and guardians need to know. Sextortion predators do not need sophisticated hacking skills. They use fake profiles, build trust, create urgency, then threaten exposure. The single most important protective measure is teaching children that they can come to a trusted adult immediately — without fear of punishment — if something online goes wrong. Shame is the predator’s best weapon. Taking it away is the best defense.

Source: Children reporting naked image sextortion scams “more than double” – Metro

If you suspect a child is being targeted by an online predator, do not wait. Report a Predator to the proper authorities — your report can help stop the abuse and protect other children.