Microsoft · Apple · Meta · The Guardian Technology
Young men report more ‘sextortion’ than any other age group, Australia’s online safety watchdog says
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A new report by Australia’s online safety regulator has found “significant gaps” in how major tech platforms tackle online sexual extortion and child sexual exploitation, as “reports of this abuse continue to rise”.
Key facts
- Between July and December 2025, 2,206 complaints of sexual extortion were made to eSafety
- Instagram and WhatsApp were the most frequently cited platforms, appearing in more than 1,300 complaints combined
- The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said the findings show that the watchdog hasn’t “seen adequate responses, despite the technology being readily available
- The University of Sydney academic Dr Joanne Gray said one of her biggest concerns was that the platforms “still tend to be taking a reactive approach” rather than a preventive one
Summary
The findings come from eSafety’s latest transparency report, examining how tech companies, including Apple, Meta, Google, Microsoft, Snap, Discord and WhatsApp, are addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse. Between July and December 2025, 2,206 complaints of sexual extortion were made to eSafety. Sexual extortion, also known as “sextortion”, is a form of blackmail where a person threatens to share a nude or sexual image or video unless the victim gives in to their demands. Instagram and WhatsApp were the most frequently cited platforms, appearing in more than 1,300 complaints combined.