Criminal gangs profiting as child sexual abuse websites double, experts say

The number of commercial child sexual abuse websites has doubled in a year as experts say that criminal gangs are making “huge profits” from online sexual exploitation.

According to data collected by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), 15,031 commercial child sexual abuse sites were found in 2025, compared with 7,028 found in 2024, a 114% increase.

An analyst who worked on the report but did not wish to be named said that this content exists “across all social media platforms” and is “very easy” to find.

“I can find child sexual abuse content, the worst categories, category A content, which is penetration of children as young as babies on any social media platform in as little as one search term and two clicks,” said the analyst.

“I think the public have this perception that this sort of material is hidden away in dark and dirty corners of the internet, but it’s not, it’s in plain sight.”

Kerry Smith, the chief executive of the IWF, said: “It is clear criminals are exploiting systemic failures and are finding it far too easy to reap huge profits from children’s sexual exploitation.

“We need mandatory measures on financial services to proactively detect, take down and report digital payment links for the sale of images and videos of child sexual abuse.

“We also need to see companies which use end-to-end encryption on their services adopt the tried and trusted safety tools which can prevent criminals using these platforms as safe havens to distribute child sexual abuse material,” Smith said.

The report found that the amount of child sexual abuse sites where users were directly paying for content has increased from 2% in 2024 to 5% in 2025. The analyst said that the cost could start from $12 (£8.90), up to $120 for the most extreme content.

Of these commercial sites, 16% were disguised so that illegal content could be accessed through a pathway that shows as legal content when loaded directly on to a browser. The most common payment method was cryptocurrency, while money transfer services and card payments were also used.

The analyst said that the money made from illegal content operated “like a pyramid scheme” through affiliate links.

“The video channel is profiting because of the traffic that’s going through. And then the person that’s posted the video will be profiting through all the clicks and the advertising through the affiliate schemes,” they continued.

Researchers also found instances of perpetrators trying to determine victims’ locations so they could be exposed to other criminal users.

The number of reports from young people under the age of 18 who have been the victim of sextortion – when a criminal threatens to publish nude or sexual imagery of a victim unless they comply with their demands – increased by 127% in 2025 compared with 2024. According to data collected from the Report Remove helpline, a free confidential service run by the IWF and the NSPCC, children as young as seven years old have self-reported sextortion.

Chris Sherwood, the CEO at the NSPCC, said: “The growing number of commercial child sexual abuse sites uncovered by the Internet Watch Foundation lays bare a severe problem, with malicious criminal gangs profiting off children’s pain.

“We know young victims of sexual exploitation are often left defenceless and can face re-traumatisation knowing images of themselves continue to circulate online. This form of abuse demands urgent action.

“Ofcom must use its powers and work with others to spot and disrupt these perpetrators at the source, before they impact more young lives. Equally, tech companies need to utilise existing technology that prevents children from taking, sharing, or receiving nude images.

“Childline’s Report Remove service is here for any young person under 18 who wants to speak to a professional and confidentially report sexual images and videos of themselves. Through the service, the IWF and Childline can help get these images removed and prevent them from being shared in the future,” Sherwood said.