Australia's eSafety watchdog reported a surge in sextortion complaints, with men aged 18 to 24 filing nearly 800 complaints. The report criticized major tech platforms for significant gaps in their ability to detect and prevent online sexual extortion and exploitation, highlighting inadequate safety measures.
Australia's eSafety regulator found significant increases in complaints regarding online sexual extortion, termed sextortion. Between July and December 2025, over 2,000 such incidents were reported, with a notable concentration among men aged 18 to 24, who accounted for around 800 complaints.
The report suggests a disturbing trend where younger teenagers are also targeted, indicating a need for improved protective measures across digital platforms.
Instagram and WhatsApp were the most frequently mentioned platforms in these reports, combining for over 1,300 documented complaints. For users under 18, Apple’s iMessage and Snapchat were identified as commonly associated with sextortion attempts.
Criminals use intimidation tactics to coerce victims, threatening to disseminate their intimate content unless demands are met, as highlighted by the regulator.
The eSafety report emphasized persistent deficiencies in existing detection technologies used by these platforms, particularly in identifying known coercion scripts related to sexual extortion. It noted that many platforms still lack proactive tools to detect incidents during live streaming or video calls.
Only Microsoft was reported to utilize both language analysis and proactive detection mechanisms, underscoring a disparity among major tech companies.
Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, stated that the absence of adequate responses from tech platforms is concerning, given that the necessary technology already exists. She urged platforms to enhance their safety features and responses to better protect users from potential harms.
The report calls for immediate strategic improvements in platform designs and detection systems to address the ongoing threats of sexual exploitation online.
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Australia's eSafety watchdog reported a surge in sextortion complaints, with men aged 18 to 24 filing nearly 800 complaints. The report criticized major tech platforms for significant gaps in their ability to detect and prevent online sexual extortion and exploitation, highlighting inadequate safety measures.