Child pornography produced by children aged 7 to 10 increased by 65% in 2022, according to an international report by the IMF (Internet Monitoring Foundation).
In most cases, children are instructed, tricked, or even blackmailed into creating these images.
This criminal content is created via webcams and mobile phones and then shared across platforms and websites.
The authors of the study discovered 19,670 websites with content from this age group in the first half of this year. The number in the same period in 2021 was 11,873. In 2020, an additional 4,277 sites were identified.
- From the dark web to the swallowed USB stick: How the federal police investigates child pornography on the Internet
- Why Visa is being sued over a child pornography video posted on Pornhub
Despite the significant increase in the group of pornography produced by children between the ages of 7 and 10, the group between the ages of 11 and 13 has the highest number of denounced sites.
In the first half of this year, there were 146,911 registrations in this age group, a 137% increase compared to 2021. Below are the dates for each age:
Child Pornography Sites by Age
| age group | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Growth (from 2020 to 2022) |
| 710 | 4,277 | 11,873 | 19,670 | 360% |
| 1113 | 27,090 | 63,642 | 56,179 | 107% |
| 1415 | 990 | 2.110 | 1,343 | 36% |
| 1617 | 171 | 512 | 429 | 151% |
This child abuse content reaches the foundation through anonymous reports or through the work of researchers.
The IWF is a UKbased European organization and the only whistleblowing channel on the continent with the legal authority to proactively search for this type of content.
IWF analysts are trained to estimate children’s ages based on body details such as bone length and genital characteristics.
The sites are hosted in several countries that have not yet been cataloged after relapses. When these experts identify the site’s hosting location, they notify the reporting channels, authorities and potential partners in that country to remove the content.
- How to recognize signs of violence and child sexual abuse in children and adolescents
The IWF offers tips to prevent children from becoming victims of these criminals:
- Talk to your child about online sexual abuse and listen to their concerns
- Agree on ground rules for how you use technology as a family.
- Learn more about the platforms and apps your child loves. Take an interest in their online life
- Learn to use apps and settings that make your child safer
Reports of child pornography increased by 33.45% in 2021; see arrest in flagranti