Tech Platforms Fail Kids: Safety Gaps Exposed

Australia's online safety regulator, eSafety, has identified critical deficiencies in major tech companies' handling of online sexual extortion and child sexual exploitation. Between July and December 2025, eSafety received over 2,000 complaints regarding sexual extortion, with younger teens increasingly targeted. Instagram and WhatsApp were implicated in more than 1,300 complaints, while iMessage and Snapchat were frequently linked to threats against users under 18.

The regulator's findings reveal ongoing safety gaps in detecting and preventing child sexual exploitation online. These issues stem from insufficient use of detection technologies, such as language analysis for coercion scripts, and a lack of proactive tools for live streaming and video calls. Only Microsoft reported using both detection technologies. Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stated that platforms are not adequately responding despite available solutions, allowing offenders to exploit system weaknesses.