One in 10 UK parents say their kid blackmailed online, NSPCC finds

One in 10 UK parents say their kid blackmailed online, NSPCC finds
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Nearly one in 10 parents in the UK say their child has been blackmailed online, according to The Guardian citing a new research by the NSPCC. The child protection charity found that one in five parents also know another child who has faced online blackmail, yet 40% of parents reported rarely or never speaking to their children about the issue.

The findings come as the UK’s National Crime Agency reports more than 110 monthly cases of child sextortion — a form of online blackmail in which criminal networks coerce teenagers into sharing intimate images and then threaten to expose them. Authorities in the UK, US and Australia have documented a rise in sextortion targeting teenage boys and young men, often linked to gangs in West Africa and Southeast Asia. Several cases in recent years have ended in tragedy, including the deaths of two 16-year-olds: Murray Dowey in Scotland in 2023 and Dinal De Alwis in London in 2022.

The NSPCC survey of over 2,500 parents concluded that technology companies continue to “fall short” in protecting children. The charity defines online blackmail broadly, including threats to release intimate images, personal information, or details such as a child’s sexuality. Blackmailers may be strangers or peers and may demand money, further images, or continued contact.

The charity urged parents to educate children about online risks and create safe, judgment-free spaces for disclosure, noting that embarrassment and fear often prevent victims from seeking help.