Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Dan Milmo and Libby Brooks

Children in UK as young as 11 targeted by sextortion criminals, data reveals

IWF United Kingdom Internet NCA
A close up of a young woman's hands holding a mobile phone.
The internet safety watchdog said there were 175 reported incidents of sextortion involving under-17s in 2024. Photograph: Sean Smith/The Guardian

Children as young as 11 to 13 are being targeted by sextortion criminals for the first time, according to data.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said the “worrying” trend showed that criminals behind extortion attempts were casting their nets wider in an attempt to trap victims.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Would You Send Money to Someone You’ve Never Met? Romance Scammers Know How to Make You Say Yes
The first request for money might arrive after weeks of sweet messages, late-night conversations, and promises of a future together. It might sound less like a scam than an awkward favor between two people who care about each other.
Clever Dude
Clever Dude
Heavier Phone Use Past 10 at Night Linked with Teens Falling Asleep About 65 Minutes Later
On nights with extra phone use after 10 p.m., teens fell asleep about 65 minutes later, a JAMA Pediatrics study found. What parents can do.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
We are reclaiming real life after getting rid of Instagram
Letters: Readers on taking back their lives – and brains – from social media algorithms
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
The U.K.'s Online Safety Act Has Been a Failure. Regulators Want To Broaden It Anyway.
A new report reveals more shortcomings of the U.K.’s Online Safety Act.
Reason
Reason
British Embassy quashes Winnie-the-Pooh return rumors, keeping the famed bear in New York
It turns out Winnie-the-Pooh and his fluffy friends aren’t being bear-napped from their longtime home at the New York Public Library
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
79 Nostalgic Photos That Take ’80s Kids Straight Back To Their Childhoods
80s had everything: bright neon colors, ABBA, Queen, and Madonna on the radio, huge power suits, and poofy hair that is now only associated with hair metal bands. If you love this decade, take a trip down memory lane with these pics from r/80s, where people share nostalgic items and…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play