Young men report more ‘sextortion’ than any other age group, Australia’s online safety watchdog says
Summary
Australia’s online safety regulator, eSafety, reported that young men aged 18 to 24 make the most complaints about online sexual blackmail, known as sextortion. The report highlights that major tech platforms struggle to effectively detect and prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse, with social media apps like Instagram, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Snapchat frequently involved.Key Facts
- More than 2,000 complaints of sexual extortion were made to eSafety between July and December 2025.
- Men aged 18 to 24 made about 800 of these complaints, the highest number among all age groups.
- Sextortion means threatening to share nude or sexual images or videos unless demands are met.
- Instagram and WhatsApp appeared in more than 1,300 complaints combined; for users under 18, iMessage and Snapchat were most common.
- eSafety found serious gaps in the use of available technology to detect and stop sexual exploitation online.
- Most platforms lack tools to detect abuse during live video streaming or calls; Microsoft is an exception.
- Experts say platforms respond after abuse is reported but do not do enough to prevent it from happening.
- The eSafety Commissioner said platforms should take simple steps now to better protect users.
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