Join us

Category: Our blog

Posted on

Press Release: Global coalition tackles AI nudification tools, Grok & others

Press Release

Tuesday 10 February

  • A growing global coalition, currently 107 major organisations, has united to fight AI nudification tools.
  • The global coalition includes the European Commission, NSPCC (UK), Amnesty International, INTERPOL, Save the Children and Safe Online
  • Elon Musk’s AI system, Grok, and many other AI image tools are used to generate generate non-consensual nude images
  • AI nudifying tools are increasingly linked to coercion, blackmail and child sexual abuse material. 
  • Most victims are women and children.

Elon Musk’s free and accessible AI system, Grok, has generated an estimated three million non-consensual nude images, triggering an urgent global response. A coalition of 107 leading child-protection and humanitarian organisations has united to confront what they describe as an unacceptable threat to human dignity and child safety.

The global coalition, which  includes  Safe Online, Child Helpline International, Offlimits, the National Centre for Missing & Exploited, We Protect, Internet Watch Foundation, In Hope, the European Commission, NSPCC, Amnesty International, INTERPOL and 96 others, brings together regulators, child-protection experts, human rights advocates, and international law enforcement.

Nudifying tools allow users to digitally undress individuals using ordinary photographs. While often marketed as “adult” applications, they are increasingly used to target women and girls in particular and to generate illegal sexual imagery of children without consent, accountability, or effective barriers.

“Between 2023 and 2024 there was  a 1,325% increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery.” Marija Manojlovic, Head of Safe Online, a US$100 million global fund dedicated to protecting children online. “The same technology that should expand human potential is being weaponized against children.”

She added that the framing of these harms obscures their severity. “We minimize harm by calling it ‘online,’ as if it is somehow less serious than what happens in the physical world, but the trauma is real,” Manojlovic said.

“Nudifying tools have created an unprecedented threat to our children. AI – the technology that should expand human potential, is being weaponized against children. 

“Tech companies have the ability to detect and block nudified content of children. The distribution of child sexual abuse material is illegal in every jurisdiction and tech platforms should be brought in line with other creation and distribution channels. 

“It’s frankly shocking that these platforms are monetized and aren’t required to report offenders, or work with industry partners to cut off payment flows – these are safeguarding tools that are used in the real world and need to be applied to online platforms.”

The coalition is mobilising immediate tools and coordinated action to block access to nudification technologies, hold developers and platforms accountable, and accelerate protections to prevent further harm. 

With AI abuse accelerating, the coalition is seeking broader global support and is opening membership to new organisations via https://forms.gle/uvYwAyDVQFCnAN3v7

CONTACT
Contact Marija Manojlovic via penny@strategicagenda.com   



 

See more of our recent updates

UNICEF Child Protection Programme Division

January 9, 2024

Our grantees UNICEF Child Protection Programme Division Global Programme to Build Capacity to Address Online Child Sexual Exploitation Countries involved:United States of America With support from the Fund, the UNICEF Child Protection Programme Division is working with a wide range of partners at the national, regional and global levels with support of

Read More »

MSB Medical School Berlin GmbH

January 9, 2024

Our grantees MSB Medical School Berlin GmbH RAPPID- (Risk Assessment for the Prevention & Promotion of Internet Deterrence) Countries involved:Germany Grant timeline:March 2023 – March 2025 Grantee website:www.medicalschool-berlin.de Funding amount:$199,406 Find other grantees

Read More »
Posted on

Press Release: New report reveals the growing mental health crisis and global knowledge gaps on the impact of technology use for children

Press Release

Read in French
Read in Spanish

Wednesday 21 January
Davos, Switzerland

  • Minimal evidence on younger children (under 12s) and lack of research for under 5s.
  • Huge missed opportunity for longitudinal data tracking mental health outcomes as technologies emerge.
  • Most technology policy focuses on safety and harm reduction, not on promoting mental health and wellbeing. 
  • Limited research on child screen use in the global south, despite being the fastest growing population segment. 
  • Need for research on impacts of parent’s technology use on children’s mental health.

The new child and youth mental health report sheds light on the scale of our global knowledge gaps on the correlation between childhood technology use and childhood mental health impacts. 

Over the past decade, mental health conditions in children and adolescents have seen a significant  rise across all countries and incomes. The World Health Organization, estimates one in seven 10-19 year olds worldwide experience a mental disorder, and that a third of conditions emerge by age 14.

“It’s astonishing that we’re not doing more to understand this issue,” says Marija Manojlovic, Executive Director of Safe Online, who released the new findings at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.

“We know that children’s technology use is increasing, and we’re past the point of no return. Technology is embedded into almost everything we do. But we don’t really know what the long-term impacts are for children and adolescents. Most research on the topic is speculative.

“Most shockingly – there are huge gaps in research on the impact for under-5s when we know children as young as 2 are using phones and tablets. At a time when governments, like the UK, are developing screentime guidelines for pre-schoolers and parents are seeking guidance on technology use – we must have better evidence to help navigate these critical issues.

“We know that mental health conditions for under-18s have been rising for a decade but we don’t have the longitudinal research to understand the relationship with digital technologies in depth. This is a particular area of interest for me,” says Marija Manojlovic.

Editor’s notes:

The Ecosystem Landscape Child & Adolescent Mental Health and Digital Technology report can be found here: https://safeonline.global/weave-wellbeing/ 

Marija has a strong track record of raising funds for research and developing tools to help prevent thorny issues like these. As Executive Director, she has led Safe Online to raise and deploy over US$100m over the past 10 years for research and tools to prevent online child sexual abuse and exploitation, and she’s on track to do it again, this time with child mental health in mind. 

Safe Online is launching Weave Wellbeing, a pioneering fund to mobilize the scale of financing needed to tackle this urgent issue. Marija has already secured US$2m seed funding from Iconiq Impact.

  • For further information on the report please contact: Natalie Shoup, Industry and Data Lead, Safe Online, natalie@safeonline.global 
  • To organise interviews or commentary on child mental health and technology please contact Penny Arrowsmith, Communications Manager, penny@strategicagenda.com
See more of our recent updates

Justice and Care

January 9, 2024

Our grantees Justice and Care Understanding Traffickers and Pathways to Offending: Analysis and Recommendations to Better Detect, Deter, and Prevent Online Sexual Exploitation of Children in the Philippines Countries involved:United Kingdom, Philippines Justice and Care is a United Kingdom-based non-governmental organisation that works with law enforcement officers to rescue victims

Read More »

UNICEF South Africa

January 10, 2024

Our grantees UNICEF South Africa Strengthening Children’s Online Safety in South Africa Countries involved:South Africa The Fund is helping UNICEF South Africa promote positive Internet use while deterring online violence, exploitation and abuse. From 2018-2022, the agency worked on creating tools on online safety and integrating them into existing programmes and platforms

Read More »

ChildSafeNet

January 10, 2024

Our grantees ChildSafeNet Enhancing Parental Roles in Protecting Children from Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Countries involved:Nepal Online child sexual abuse and exploitation can affect almost all households globally – and parents and caregivers, who can be influential in most, if not all, settings of children’s lives, play an important

Read More »
Posted on

Press Release: G20 urged to invest now in child online safety as global risks escalate

Press Release

Children, youth, parents, survivors, government, private sector, civil society, and global institutions meet for High-Level roundtable at G20 Social Summit to launch new coalition to align on investment priorities and scale solutions that work to protect children online

Wednesday 19 November 2025, Johannesburg, South Africa: A global coalition of child online safety advocates is meeting for the first time at the G20 Social Summit to coordinate and align on investments to protect children in digital spaces, warning that delays will multiply social and economic costs for years to come. 

According to the latest data and evidence, 300 million children per year are subjected to technology-facilitated sexual abuse, including “unwanted sexual talk such as non-consensual sexting, unwanted sexual questions or sexual act requests.” and reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have surged by 1,300% in just one year.  

“Today, we stand at a crossroads,” said  Marija Manojlovic, Executive Director of Safe Online, the only global fund dedicated to keeping children safe in the digital world. “Technology is advancing faster than ever before – reimagining education, redefining how we connect, and reshaping our lives. But while technological breakthroughs and innovation race ahead, the digital safety of children has been left behind.” 

“Every second, ten cases of technology-facilitated sexual abuse are reported globally. Behind these numbers is a real child whose future is at risk. We must face this reality with the ambition it demands,” continues Manojlovic. “And the clarity it deserves. Children’s digital safety and well-being must become a shared global investment priority. That is why today – together with the Brave Movement, ChildFund International, Mtoto News, Plan International, and World Vision International – we are launching the Safe Digital Futures – Invest in Children coalition.” 

The Safe Digital Futures – Invest in Children coalition also recognises that this is not just a child protection issue, but an economic, social, and moral crisis. The costs of inaction are immense, not only in lost potential but in the long-term social and financial burden carried by communities and nations. Violence against children is estimated to cost the world $7 trillion USD annually. This is equivalent to about 8% of the annual global GDP.  The coalition unites global institutions, civil society, government, survivors of online harm, parents, and youth to channel strategic, coordinated investments into proven, scalable solutions. It builds on Safe Online’s $100 million invested across over 100 countries, leveraging evidence, technological innovation, and systemic change.   

Rhiannon-Faye McDonald, a Brave survivor advocate who has lived experience of technology-assisted child sexual abuse says, “The G20 is a vital forum to create a safer world for children. Survivors bring lived experience, strength, and solutions to global leaders. When our voices shape policy, commitments become meaningful. We are here to ensure leaders deliver on their pledges to end violence against children, turning promises into progress.” 

Joy, a 16 year old from Tshwane, South Africa says that there is a need for governments and tech companies to put restrictions on misinformation and disinformation, and ensure perpetrators of cyber crimes are dealt with. She also calls upon governments at the G20 to ensure universal digital literacy to all children – including those with disability – and parents and children living in rural areas. This would ensure digital inclusivity and that children are aware when they are being exploited. 

Keegan Kagwe, a Pan-African youth leader, advocate for gender equality and child protection, and Brave survivor, says, “Violence against children is not a side issue; it is a structural failure that bleeds economies, destabilizes societies, and erodes human dignity. The G20, commanding 85% of global GDP, should treat this as an economic imperative. At the African level, inaction is even costlier. Child trafficking and online exploitation erode trust in institutions and drain GDP. The AU’s Online Safety Model Law is a step forward, but it needs G20 backing financially, diplomatically, and through trade standards to have real impact. For me, these conversations are not academic. They are about girls forced into marriage, boys groomed through social media, and we survivors whose futures depend on whether global leaders choose courage over complacency. The G20 is one of the few spaces where economic muscle and moral responsibility intersect.” 

The goal for the Safe Digital Futures – Invest in Children coalition right now is simple and urgent, to align on investment priorities and scale solutions that work to protect children online. With the expectation for the private sector, governments and philanthropy to converge and commit to this work.  

Notes to editors 

About Brave survivor advocate Rhiannon-Faye McDonald 

Rhiannon-Faye has lived experience of technology-assisted child sexual abuse, which resulted in her being the victim of both online and offline sexual abuse when she was 13 years old. Wanting to use this experience to protect other children and support fellow victims and survivors, she began working alongside the Marie Collins Foundation in 2017. She is now the Head of Advocacy there, co-ordinating the Lived Experience Group and advocating and campaigning to improve outcomes for victims and their families. 

Today, Rhiannon shares her lived experience with young people, parents, and professionals, helping to increase awareness and understanding of the impacts of technology-assisted child sexual abuse and promoting the need for better support for victims to help their recovery journey. Rhiannon-Faye is a member of the Brave Movement’s SAGE (Survivor Advocates Globally Empowered) advisory board and features in the film Beyond the screen: hidden voices of online abuse. 

About Brave survivor advocate Keegan Kagwe 
Keegan Kagwe is a Pan-African youth leader and advocate for gender equality and child protection. He is an uncompromising youth voice for dignity, rights, and justice across Africa. As the African Union Saleema Youth Ambassador, he shapes continental conversations on ending harmful practices and advancing gender equality through unapologetically Pan-African advocacy. Separately, as National Coordinator of the Youth Anti-FGM Network Kenya (YANK), Keegan mobilizes young leaders across 22 FGM hotspot counties to confront harmful traditions and safeguard the rights of women and girls.  

Keegan also co-chairs the Girls Not Brides Kenya Youth Advisory Panel and serves on the African Union Technical Working Group on Harmful Practices, influencing policy frameworks that reach millions. His campaigns have secured funding, forged strategic partnerships, and engaged over 1.2 million young people through innovative digital outreach in the last year. Beyond Harmful Practices, Keegan drives action against childhood sexual violence, applying technology and survivor-centered storytelling to strengthen protection systems. He has carried African youth perspectives into ACERWC, the Universal Periodic Review, and the Commission on the Status of Women, ensuring grassroots realities inform global agendas. 

A proud advocate, self-described egalitarian, and committed Pan-Africanist, Keegan fuses lived experience, policy acumen, and digital savvy to prove that young Africans are not passive participants but architects of the continent’s future. Off-stage, he’s an avid reader, a hiker who finds clarity on mountain trails, and a TikTok scroller attuned to his generation’s rhythms. Keegan is a member of the Brave Movement. 

About the new coalition Safe Digital Futures – Invest in Children 

The new coalition Safe Digital Futures – Invest in Children unites partners to channel strategic, coordinated investments into proven, scalable solutions. By harnessing partners’ expertise, networks and evidence the initiative will create a multiplier effect and enable system-wide transformation to close the global funding gap via unlocking new investments, driving targeted financial commitments and exploring innovative funding models. Founding members of the coalition are Safe Online, the Brave Movement, ChildFund International, Mtoto News, Plan International, and World Vision International.  

See more of our recent updates

Red Papaz

January 10, 2024

Our grantees Red Papaz Consolidation and Strengthening of the Safer Internet Center – Viguías in Colombia Countries involved:Colombia To ensure the protection of children and adolescents in digital environments, Red PaPaz is developing the Safer Internet Centre – Viguías, to adopt technical and technological tools for promoting effective actions in

Read More »

UNICEF Jordan

January 10, 2024

Our grantees UNICEF Jordan Targeting Online Sexual Exploitation of Children in Jordan Countries involved:Jordan UNICEF Jordan is using support from the Fund to improve services for children and families experiencing online child sexual exploitation and abuse. To do so, the agency is building national capacity through the Prevention of Online Sexual

Read More »

UNICEF Viet Nam

January 10, 2024

Our grantees UNICEF Viet Nam Safer Internet – Safer Childhood Countries involved:Viet Nam UNICEF Vietnam will work on the Safer Internet – Safer Childhood  project will focus on strengthening the national legal infrastructure and capacity, improving early interventions and victim support, and increasing knowledge and engagement of caregivers, teachers and children

Read More »
Posted on

Open Letter to the G20: Protect the Millions of Children Facing Digital Harm Every Day

T​​o sign the Open Letter, click here

Make the digital safety and wellbeing of children a global investment priority.

Every day, millions of children experience digital harms that threaten their safety, mental health, and futures. A child can be locked into a high-risk online interaction in less than 45 minutes and coerced in as little as 19 seconds. One in three children have been asked for sexual images by someone they met online. Reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have surged by 1,300% in just one year.

These are not isolated incidents; they are evidence of a systemic failure to protect children in a rapidly expanding digital world. What was once unimaginable has become normalised and if we don’t intervene now, it will only get worse. While technology reshapes economies and societies, children’s safety has been left behind. Across every platform – from gaming spaces to social media to AI-powered tools – children face exploitation, manipulation, and violence that no child should ever encounter.

The human and economic cost

The impact of this crisis is both moral and economic. Violence against children is estimated to cost USD $7 trillion annually, which amounts to around 8 percent of global GDP, enough wealth to make it the world’s third-richest nation. In some countries, these costs exceed national health expenditures several times over.

Every second counts: ten new cases of technology-facilitated sexual abuse are reported every second globally  – where digital tools are used to find, harass, control, or exploit victims. Yet, in 13 countries studied as part of Disrupting Harm, only three percent of victims reach out to formal services for help. Behind these numbers are children whose trust, dignity, and safety have been stolen in spaces meant for learning and connection.

The digital transformation has outpaced protection

G20 discussions on digital transformation focus on creating inclusive growth through digital technologies while mitigating risks to mental and physical health. Key areas include ensuring universal connectivity, promoting ethical AI and data governance, and using digital solutions to improve health access and efficiency. This involves addressing the “digital determinants of health,” promoting digital skills, and bridging digital divides to prevent new inequalities from emerging. Governments and industries are investing billions in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and infrastructure. But while innovation accelerates, the systems meant to safeguard children remain fragmented and underfunded.

There is growing public concern about the digital environment: social media’s link to youth mental health crises, exploitative algorithms, the spread of deepfakes and AI-generated abuse, and unsafe digital toys and chatbots marketed to young users. Parents are sounding the alarm. Survivor advocates are speaking out. Young people themselves are demanding accountability. And some governments around the world are starting to take action. Yet global investment and coordination still lag far behind the scale of risks. Without urgent action, the gap between technological progress and child safety and wellbeing will only widen.

To the Leaders of the G20 Nations, We, the undersigned — representatives of governments, child rights organisations, the private sector, survivor advocates, parents and children — unite in one shared appeal:

Why the G20 must act now

As G20 leaders meet to define the future of the global digital economy, artificial intelligence, and inclusive growth, we ask:

Where is the safety and wellbeing of children in these plans? We urge the G20 to:

  • Recognise child digital safety and wellbeing as a shared global investment priority integral to digital transformation, health, education, and economic agendas.
  • Invest in upstream prevention interventions that are evidence-based, contextually relevant, globally accessible and centered in responsible technology.
  • Collaborate across borders, sectors, and industries to ensure a coordinated international response.
  • Innovate financing models — including public-private partnerships, catalytic and blended finance — to build sustainable protection systems globally.
  • Listen to survivors, parents and youth in all decisions shaping the digital world. Those with lived experience of online CSEA provide valuable insight that can effectively guide solutions.  

The risks children face online do not stop at borders. Our response must be equally borderless, collective, and accountable.

 

A new coalition for Safe Digital Futures

To help drive this transformation, a new global coalition, Safe Digital Futures – Invest in Children, has been launched by Safe Online, the Brave Movement, ChildFund International, Mtoto News, Plan International, World Vision International, and more expected to join.

The coalition aims to unite governments, philanthropy, the private sector, and civil society behind one goal: unlocking coordinated, sustainable financing to make digital environments safe, inclusive, and empowering for children. Its first milestone will be the G20 Social Summit 2025 in South Africa — bringing together leaders to align resources and build a roadmap toward sustainable funding for children’s digital safety and wellbeing around the world.

Safe Digital Futures – Invest in Children

A shared responsibility

The choices made today will define the childhoods of an entire generation. Technology will continue to evolve — but whether it empowers or endangers children depends on collective will and investment from the G20. 

To the leaders of the G20: You have the influence, the resources, and the responsibility to make this change. Make the digital safety and wellbeing of children a priority. Act now to ensure that the digital revolution uplifts rather than exploits the youngest members of our societies.

Because no innovation is truly transformative if it leaves children behind.
Because children deserve safe, healthy, and empowering digital futures.

Without investment in this work—across sectors and borders—we risk limiting children’s potential to contribute to society and facing significant social and economic costs as a result.

Let us invest in it, together.

Signed by: Representatives of governments, child rights organisations, the private sector, survivor advocates, parents and children

  • Bob Balfour, Founder/CEO, Bens Place (Survivors West Yorkshire, UK), member of the Brave Movement
  • MacBain Mkandawire, Youth Net and Counselling, YONECO
  • Tabitha Mpamira, Mutera Global Healing
  • Rosalia Rivera, CONSENTparenting™
  • Kohiyama Mié, Bebravefrance and Brave Movement co-founder
  • ElsaMarie DSilva, Red Dot Foundation
  • Sonya Ryan OAM, Carly Ryan Foundation
  • Aanya Ujjval, American Youth Association (AYA)
  • Dr. Rinchen Chophel, South Asia Initiative To End Violence Against Children (SAIEVAC)
  • Eric Favila, Founder and CEO, AMLAKAS Corporation
  • Bree Atkinson, CEO and Founder, Kindred Tech
  • Chris McKenna, President, Better Tech
  • Sebastián Cuattromo, Asociación Civil Adults por los Derechos de la Infancia
  • Robert A Shilling
  • Debra Clelland, South Africa, DeafKidz International
  • Glynis Clacherty Ph.D
  • Denise Buchanan, Faith Has Feet
  • Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen, Protect Children, Suojellaan Lapsia ry.
  • Dr Maggie Brennan, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Dublin City University
  • Lydia Jean Akite, ChildFund International Uganda Country Office
  • Sheila Makhado, Brave Movement
  • Costas Yannopoulos, The Smile of the Child, President of the Board of Directors
  • Beatrice Jane, ZanaAfrica
  • Selena Fortich
  • Anxhela Bruci
  • Emily Slifer, Director of Policy, Thorn
  • Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, Population Foundation of India
  • Elie Florence, Brave Movement & Be Brave France, ChildSafetyOn coalition, Founder Elien Rebirth & Ethelios
  • Iain Corby, Age Verification Providers Association
  • Uzoh Emmanuella, Action Against Child Sexual Abuse Initiative (ACSAI)
  • Daniela Ligiero, Brave Movement Founder, Together for Girls CEO
  • Samantha Lundrigan, Anglia Ruskin University
  • Dushica Naumovska, Kindred Tech
  • Lydia Matioli, Freely In Hope
  • Mahjalin Baldesco
  • Carolina Piñeros, Directora Ejecutiva, Red PaPaz
  • Ngunan Ioron Aloho, Campaigns Manager, Brave Movement
  • Keegan Kagwe
  • Rhiannon-Faye McDonald, Marie Collins Foundation & SAGE, Brave Movement
  • Aagje Ieven, Missing Children Europe
  • Florence Keya, Misha Girls Safe House
  • Canan Güllü, Türkiye Kadın Dernekleri Federasyonu
  • Susan Mckeever
  • Armin Shams
  • Christina Thorpe
  • Helen Mason, Child Helpline International
  • Scharliina Eräpuro, Little Girl Project
  • Joe Laramie, NCJTC
  • Rima Nashasdhibi, Global Hope 365
  • Kamran Mir
  • Thiago Tavares, SaferNet Brazil
  • John Tanagho, IJM Center to End Online Sexual Exploitation of Children
  • Dennis Ekwere, CYPLP
  • Anil Raghuvanshi, ChildSafeNet
See more stories from our family of grantees
Posted on

Recap -Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund Convening 2025

Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund Convening 2025 - Recap.

Last week, researchers and industry partners gathered for the third year in a row – this time in Singapore –  to bring together different perspectives and expertise for tackling online CSEA.

Hosted by Safe Online and the Tech Coalition on the margins of the Trust and Safety Professionals Association (TSPA) APAC Summit, this year’s Research Fund Convening brought together nearly 40 participants from across sectors and regions. The goal: to move from insight to implementation, to ensure that research doesn’t just describe problems, but helps shape solutions that work in the real world.

Setting the stage

Opening remarks by Kay Chau from the Tech Coalition underscored the unique role that the Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund plays for industry:

“Since its inception, the Research Fund has supported nearly USD 3 million in independent studies, helping ensure that decisions within member companies are informed by evidence rather than assumptions.”

Snigdha Bhardwaj, Director of Trust and Safety at Google- who has been a great supporter of the Research Fund through hosting the convenings – kicked off the day with a discussion of their pioneering work with generative AI and how to proactively mitigate risks, emphasizing that partnership with other actors within the ecosystem is crucial to create a safer internet.

Regional realities

The first panel of the day brought in evidence from the region – the Philippines, Cambodia, Nepal, Kenya, and Australia – painting a clearer and more nuanced picture of how children and caregivers navigate their online lives.

Children have their own protective strategies that they employ in digital spaces. Many run quick “background checks” on new contacts, look for mutual friends, or test for consistency in conversation. They weigh benefits and harms almost instinctively—moment-to-moment calculations that adults often underestimate. And yet, the formal act of reporting remains challenging. Many children fear the process isn’t confidential or doubt that it leads to meaningful change. Others simply find that it breaks the natural rhythm of their digital experience – hinting at solutions by building reporting or help seeking tools into the regular flow of platform experiences.

The discussion turned from children to caregivers: the research from ChildSafeNet found that parents often know about screen-time limits but rarely about the “three Cs” of online safety: contact, content, and conduct. But the barrier isn’t just knowledge, but also dynamics. For instance, in many households represented in the research in Nepal, fathers possess stronger digital skills but tend to be more emotionally distant from day-to-day parenting. Mothers, meanwhile, often maintain closer emotional bonds but lack the same technical confidence.

Participants reflected on how parenting education could bridge that divide: combining digital literacy with emotional literacy, and helping caregivers recognise that protecting children online means being both technically capable and emotionally available.

Build research into the product cycle

Safety tools and interventions work best when they’re baked into how people already move online and responsive to the dynamics that shape their relationships. Understanding children’s protective strategies, and the realities of how caregivers support or fail to support them, can help designers and educators create features and programs that feel intuitive, empathetic, and effective rather than punitive or detached.

Building balanced research–industry partnerships

The next session peeled back the curtain on what collaboration between researchers and companies can really look like when it works. Several grantees shared experiences of designing and implementing studies in collaboration with tech platforms—from building advisory panels that inform researchers around aspects of approaches such as questionnaire wording for industry input, to distributing surveys that lead to insights that impact platforms’ design of products, policies or  processes.

Most importantly, speakers were candid about the practicalities of collaboration: access to real-world systems, internal approvals, sensitivity reviews, and the need for legal agreements to protect competitive information. Some teams produced individualised reports for specific platforms under confidentiality, while publishing aggregated findings publicly.

Clear boundaries with industry partners, including being aligned on independent research questions, ensured that even when methodologies were adjusted (for example to be able to work with a platform’s internal approval processes and data-collection timeline), the scientific integrity of the results remained unimpacted.

These partnership models can yield results that neither side could achieve alone. 

Partnerships necessitate trade-offs and structure, not just goodwill

Successful collaboration depends on clarity, trust, and mutual accountability. Building structure around partnership, through legal safeguards, shared objectives, and flexibility, turns potential friction into a pathway for impact.

Additionally, the convening featured all 11 grantees of the Research Fund presenting their work in a dynamic “lightning round” format. This rapid-fire session offered participants a quick but comprehensive overview of each research project. Following this, a “marketplace” session allowed for deeper engagement, giving attendees the opportunity to visit specific research teams, ask questions, and explore the projects in more detail through one-on-one and small-group discussions.

Workshop - from insight to action

After lunch, the convening shifted gears from discussion to design. In mixed groups, researchers and industry participants explored how to make research both more inclusive and more actionable. The first working session on creative methodologies for inclusion surfaced inventive ways to involve children and young people, such as AI-supported participatory tools with the required, tailored ethical safeguards built into open models by child participation experts. 

The second exploration focused on the enabling environment for translating evidence into practice. Participants shared the challenges of adapting research across geographies and user groups, and of aligning rigorous timelines with the pace of product development. Industry voices described the complexity of implementing findings within global platforms that must localize for distinct cultural and regulatory contexts. The consensus was that evidence translation is rarely linear: it requires flexibility, shared language, and mutual understanding of each sector’s constraints.

Strengthen evidence on what works

Participants emphasized the importance of systematically evaluating child online safety initiatives to identify which approaches are most effective and why. Sharing these findings – how interventions improve user experience and ultimately safety – can help all stakeholders make a stronger case for continued and scaled focus, effort and investment.

Closing reflections: collective commitments

As the day drew to a close, participants shared one action they’d take forward. A number of key themes emerged:

One action you’ll take

One final discussion returned to diversity: both of technology and of childhood itself. The tech ecosystem isn’t a monolith, participants noted; it ranges from hosting services to social platforms, each with distinct leverage points for safety. And “children” aren’t a single audience either. Designing for those most vulnerable, such as children with disabilities, or those in low-connectivity settings, often produces solutions that benefit everyone.

Partnerships necessitate trade-offs and structure, not just goodwill

Successful collaboration depends on clarity, trust, and mutual accountability. Building structure around partnership, through legal safeguards, shared objectives, and flexibility, turns potential friction into a pathway for impact.

The 2025 Research Fund Convening reinforced the value of bringing researchers and industry together to bridge evidence and implementation. The conversations in Singapore will continue to inform how the Tech Coalition and Safe Online shape future priorities: advancing actionable, evidence-based approaches to keep children safe online.

🌐 Explore the new Research Fund webpage

The brand new Research Fund webpage, launched during the convening, now serves as a living record of impact — capturing key indicators, showcasing collaboration through an interactive heat map, and featuring case studies and best practices from grantees around the world. It offers an at-a-glance view of how evidence from the Fund is driving action across sectors and regions, and how partnerships are shaping a safer digital world for children.

Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund
See more of our recent updates

UNICEF Albania

January 9, 2024

Our grantees UNICEF Albania Safer and Better Internet for Children and Youth in Albania Countries involved:Albania UNICEF Albania is using support from the Fund to end violence against children online on multiple levels. To reach children, the agency is training children to become peer educators on online violence, increasing their knowledge

Read More »

Bridging Perspectives at TrustCon 2024: Our Workshop Experience

August 12, 2024

TrustCon 2024, one of the leading events in the Trust & Safety community attended by over 1300 participants, provided an amazing platform for engagement and collaboration among professionals from various sectors. Our workshop was a blend of fireside chat, lightning talks, and breakout sessions for Q&A with researchers, ending with an energetic brainstorming session.

Read More »

Narrative-driven case studies

May 14, 2025

Exciting Opportunity! Safe Online is looking for an agency to conduct in-depth, narrative-driven case studies in the Global South that highlight best practices, enablers, and lessons learned in achieving systemic responses to online CSEA! This work is part of Safe Online’s broader evidence and learning agenda, aimed at generating actionable,

Read More »
Posted on

Why Prevention Must Anchor Africa’s Digital Transformation

Marija Manojlovic, Executive Director, Safe Online

Marina Madale, MTN Group Executive: Sustainability and Shared Value

Africa’s digital revolution is one of the most powerful development stories of our time. Millions of children now connect daily through mobile phones, accessing education, entertainment, and opportunities unimaginable to the previous generation. Yet alongside this progress lies a stark reality: children face increasing risks of sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, grooming, mental health challenges, privacy breaches and harmful content.

The latest data shows an unprecedented and deeply disturbing wave of digital harm worldwide, growing rapidly in both scale and complexity. The rise of AI companions, immersive platforms, and algorithm-driven feeds creates new layers of vulnerability. Children increasingly interact with bots and avatars that feel “real” but may expose them to harmful content. Without robust prevention frameworks, these risks will scale faster than any reactive response can manage.

Left unchecked, these threats undermine trust in technology, damage mental health, exacerbate inequalities, and erode children’s rights. The long-term impact on children’s development, educational attainment and overall well-being carries profound consequences not only for the individual but for societies and economies at large.

For too long, child online safety has been treated as an afterthought—activated only when harm has already occurred. While takedown mechanisms, prosecution, and survivor support are vital, they cannot keep pace with the speed and scale of digital risks.

Prevention must become the anchor. This means designing digital spaces where risks are minimised by default, children are equipped with resilience, and parents and educators are empowered to guide safe online behaviour. It also means making bold financial commitments and channeling resources into prevention, innovation and proven interventions to strengthen systems and equalize human and tech capacity worldwide.

Safe Online is the only global fund focused on child safety and wellbeing in the digital world. It has invested over $100 million ($25 million in Africa) with tangible impact across over 100 countries. But this is not enough, the scale and complexity of digital harms affecting children have far outpaced the resources available leaving millions of children exposed, unsupported, unheard.

Safe Online has consistently called for systemic approaches that bring together governments, industry, civil society, survivors and young people. Its investments in cutting-edge research and tools help countries understand the scale of technology facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse and implement evidence-based responses. For example, findings from the $15 million flagship project Disrupting Harm are directly influencing national plans across eight countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. 

The urgency could not be clearer: every day, an estimated 300 million children are victims of sexual exploitation and abuse (Childlight). In 2024, reports involving AI-generated child sexual abuse material rose by 1,325% (NCMEC), while online grooming and financial sexual extortion increased significantly, with teenage boys now making up 78% of victims (WPGA). Despite this, most children do not report these harms; research from the Disrupting Harm project shows that across 13 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, only 3% of victims contacted a helpline. This gap highlights the need for stronger, more accessible, and tech-enabled prevention and support systems. One such example is Aselo, supported by Safe Online, which helps child helplines deliver faster, more effective assistance through digital tools.

For industry players like MTN, this translates into embedding safety at the heart of connectivity. Initiatives such as Room of Safety, developed with MTN Base, have shown how youth-led storytelling can spark critical conversations about online risks. But awareness must be coupled with safety by design—integrating protections into networks, products, and services from the outset.

To make Africa’s digital future truly safe for children, we see five immediate priorities:

  • Strengthen evidence and data. Expand investment in research and measurement, so policymakers and companies understand the scale, nature, and evolving risks children face online and the interventions that are most effective.
  • Scale cross-sector, prevention-driven partnerships. Telecom operators, platforms, and ISPs must partner more systematically with organisations like Safe Online to drive the system-wide transformation needed, including embeding harm-prevention tools and digital education and skills for children and parents.
  • Embed safety in national digital agendas. As governments roll out broadband and digital infrastructure strategies, they must integrate well-resourced child online safety frameworks, ensuring inclusion and protection advance together.
  • Elevate children’s voices. Digital strategies should not be about children without children. Through Safe Online’s portfolio and other platforms, youth perspectives must directly shape policy and product design.
  • Increase and align investments. Scale financial resources – including innovative funding models – to equalize human and technological capacity globally and drive system-wide transformation.

Moreover, as GSMA projects half a billion African children online by 2030, the region’s ability to embed safety now will define the trajectory of an entire generation. Failure to invest now will endanger individual children and undermine collective socio-economic progress.

Safe Online’s message is clear: We are at a strategic inflection point to scale investments towards proven interventions and build safety nets that are as borderless and dynamic as the digital world itself.

For MTN, this means deepening partnerships with expert organisations like Safe Online to ensure that connectivity comes with safety.

For policymakers, it means aligning well-resourced national systems with global legislative frameworks and best practices.

For the tech industry, it means allocating adequate resources and fully adopting ‘safety by design’ principles across products’ development and business processes to prevent harm from occurring in the first place.

For donors, philanthropy and financial institutions, it means prioritising child online safety to close the current funding gap.

And for all of us, it means recognising that a safe digital world is not just about avoiding harm, it is about enabling every child to thrive, learn, and explore without fear.

Africa has the chance not only to bridge the digital divide but also to set a global standard for safe digital inclusion. By placing prevention at the centre and scaling cross-sector partnerships, we can build an internet where children are not just connected, but truly safe.

The opportunity is before us: to create a digital continent where being online means being protected, and where safe online futures are the foundation of Africa’s progress.

See more stories from our family of grantees

Press Release: Survivors of childhood sexual violence seek urgent action to ‘redesign’ the internet to protect children

July 22, 2024

Press Release: July 17, 2024 [LONDON]: Today, survivors of childhood sexual violence will address the escalating threat to children’s lives posed by online abuse, and call for action to ‘redesign’ the internet and protect children ahead of the first ever global Ministerial on the issue in November 2024. This is a pivotal moment to redefine the digital world for children, ensuring that technology is used for their benefit and never for their harm.

Read More »

Press Release: Safe Online Proudly Announces the Launch of the Second Edition of the Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

April 24, 2025

Press Release: April 3, 2025

Safe Online is proud to announce the launch of the Second Edition of the Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, a comprehensive resource aimed at improving the accuracy, sensitivity, and consistency of language used in the fight against child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Read More »
Posted on

From pledges to protection

Protecting Children in the Digital Age – A Global Dialogue on Digital Safety

In an era where digital technology permeates every aspect of children’s lives, the digital threats impacting their safety have never been greater. The recent Digital Dialogue on Children’s Digital Safety, co-hosted by Safe Online, WHO, and UNICEF, brought together over 250 global stakeholders—governments, survivors and youth leaders, civil society, and experts—to transform commitments into tangible action. The dialogue served not only as a platform for sharing strategies but also as a call to action to maintain momentum from the first-ever global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children in Bogota, Colombia in 2024.  

Watch Recording
A Moment for Reflection and Urgency

Opening the event, Sabine Rakotomalala, World Health Organization shared key objectives for the event -to offer a platform for stakeholders to share their implementation strategies and promote best practices across the pledges and to maintain the momentum for the next ministerial Conference that will take place at the end of 2026. 

Speaking at the event, Serena Tommasino, Senior Technical and Advocacy Lead at Safe Online, reminded the audience that while the 2024 Bogota Conference laid a critical foundation, real protection depends on building strong structures on that foundation.  

Serena detailed the vast scope of threats children face—ranging from grooming and cyberbullying to mental health challenges—all exacerbated by technologies like generative AI and immersive platforms. Despite Safe Online’s $100M+ investment across over 100 countries, she warned that funding remains dangerously insufficient. As a response, Safe Online, together with key partners, introduced a new coalition on Financing Safe Digital Futures, aiming to bring together donors, governments, and the private sector to catalyze sustainable investment and close the global funding gap. 

Youth Voices Lead the Way

Marie Mokuba, representing the Global Youth-led Movement on Ending Violence Against Children, issued a strong plea for genuine inclusion of young people—not just in consultation, but at the core of policymaking. She stressed the need for including marginalised voices right from the start – at the data collection phase; intergenerational dialogue, and continuous feedback loops to ensure that digital safety solutions evolve alongside the technology they seek to regulate. 

Survivor leader and advocacy lead at the Marie Collins Foundation, Rhiannon-Faye McDonald offered a deeply personal account of online grooming and abuse, underscoring the life-long trauma it can cause. “We wouldn’t build a playground full of broken glass and blame the child for getting hurt. So why do we allow this online?” Her call was clear: hold tech companies and governments accountable and shift responsibility from children to adults and institutions with the power to protect them. 

Governments Respond with Action

Representatives from Brazil, the Philippines, Kenya, and Kazakhstan reflected on progress and challenges in implementing the Bogota pledges: 

  • Barbara Flores, Executive Director of the National Coordination Center against Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse at the Department of Justice, Philippines stressed the need for sustainable financing and international collaboration.
  • Carren Agengó, Principal Secretary, State Department for Children Services in Kenya called for public-private collaboration for investment, data driven interventions, centering children’s experiences and for prioritising preventive rather than reactive measures.
  • Dinara Zakiyeva, Commissioner for Child Rights, Kazakhstan outlined investments in cybercrime investigations and school-based safety education, as part of their national programmes.
  • Fábio Hardman, Director of Child and Adolescent Protection, Brazil called for intersectional collaboration and emphasized child-centric governance, where the best interests of the child are integrated across all legal and policy frameworks.

     

Legal and Regulatory Tools Are Evolving

Marie-Eve Nadeau from the 5Rights Foundation provided a global overview of legislative trends, reinforcing the message that “a digital world that is safe by design and not risky by default, is possible”. She pointed to a growing momentum, from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (General Comment 25), to an evolving ecosystem of global and regional guidance including the Global Digital Compact adopted at the UN in 2024. The African Union Child Online safety and empowerment policy was also adopted last year. There are promising national laws like the UK’s Age Appropriate Design Code, which are inspiring similar regulatory frameworks across continents. “We can no longer accept a digital world where children’s well-being is an afterthought,” she said. 

Building on this, Afrooz Kaviani Johnson of UNICEF emphasized the need for legal systems to keep pace with digital threats. She outlined recent developments like the new UN Cybercrime Convention and the EU’s updated directive on child sexual abuse, calling for comprehensive, future-proof laws that criminalize emerging harms, including AI-generated CSAM. At the same time, she stressed that “laws alone are not enough – implementation needs to be supported. It depends on operational tools, education, and sustainable resourcing.” 

Driving the Dialogue Forward
As digital risks to children grow more sophisticated, so must our response. From youth advocates and survivor leaders to government officials and legal experts, the dialogue made one thing clear: we know what works - now we need the will to act.
Watch Recording
See more stories from our family of grantees

Winners of the 2024 Safe Online funding call

June 2, 2025

Safe Online awards $6.7 million to 20 new grantees to advance innovative and high-impact solutions to fight online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA).
In response to the escalating risks children face in the digital world, Safe Online launched a global call for proposals in 2024 to identify and support the most promising solutions

Read More »

Why Prevention Must Anchor Africa’s Digital Transformation

September 15, 2025

In an era where digital technology permeates every aspect of children’s lives, the digital threats impacting their safety have never been greater. The recent Digital Dialogue on Children’s Digital Safety, co-hosted by Safe Online, WHO, and UNICEF, brought together over 250 global stakeholders—governments, survivors and youth leaders, civil society, and experts—to transform commitments into tangible action.

Read More »
Posted on

Winners of the 2024 Safe Online funding call

Safe Online awards $6.7 million to 20 new grantees to advance innovative and high-impact solutions to fight online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA).

In response to the escalating risks children face in the digital world, Safe Online launched a global call for proposals in 2024 to identify and support the most promising solutions.  

Following a rigorous selection process from a pool of over 300 applications, 20 grantees have been selected to receive a combined USD 6.7 million in funding – USD 1.7 million more than originally allocated. This significant increase reflects the urgent, growing need to strengthen global efforts to protect children from digital harms. These new projects, from across the world, are designed to deliver maximum impact where it’s needed most

Additionally, recognizing the overwhelming demand and immense needs in the ecosystem, Safe Online is increasing our initial investment of 6.7 million by an additional 8.5 million bringing the total investments for the period 2024-2026 to USD 15 million. This expanded funding will enable us to support more high-impact initiatives and scale up global efforts to create a safe digital future for children

grantees selected
0

The 20 initiatives announced today represent the first cohort selected through the 2024 Open Call. More projects will be launched in the second half of 2025 and early 2026 through a targeted, invitation-only process, designed to address emerging needs and fill critical strategic gaps. 

Our 20 new grantees were selected for their strong focus on innovation and potential for high impact. Each project demonstrates the ability to create new pathways for change and push the boundaries beyond what currently exists. In addition, the selection process prioritized proposals with clear potential for scalability and long-term sustainability, as well as those offering solutions that are interoperable and applicable across different systems and use cases. 

Grantees include international organisations, child protection NGOs and CSOs, research, and academic institutions and tech start-ups and include a range of path-breaking projects. 

Read more on the new projects here

New projects under the ‘Networks and Systems’ pillar will build the foundations of the ecosystem by formalizing mental health care models for frontline professionals working on online CSEA, transforming the response to Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) by testing a new model for survivors’ support, pioneering early intervention strategies to prevent CSAM by targeting individuals at risk of offending and addressing critical gaps in digital regulation enforcement by developing a fair and sustainable redress standard through the child-inclusive, collaborative COR Sandbox.   

Projects under the ‘Research and Data’ pillar will generate new evidence and data through  child-centric, participatory action research to understand children’s vulnerability to online risks, especially related to non-consensual sharing of private images; online coercion and AI and understand emerging forms of image-based sexual violence against children by exploring experiences of survivors, their parents or caregivers, law enforcement officers, and professionals working with children.

Projects under the ‘Tech Tools’ pillar will design, test, and develop technology solutions that contribute to the broader ecosystem and promote tools that are shareable, adaptable, and enhance efficiency in online CSEA prevention and response efforts. These projects include prototype tools for generating semantic hashes to help law enforcement and trust and safety teams more accurately identify new CSAM; systems to disrupt payments made by offshore offenders to facilitators ; and an automated AI evaluation platform, specialized in assessing CSEA risks, designed to help organizations evaluate the trust and safety risks of their AI models. 

This latest investment grows Safe Online’s investment portfolio to USD 100 million with impact in over 100 countries and accelerates Safe Online’s globally important role as a catalyst for innovative and scalable solutions to combat digital harms.   

“The response to our 2024 Open Call highlights both the urgency of the crisis and the innovation emerging across sectors. We’re proud to award $6.7M to 20 outstanding grantees - each advancing transformative solutions in the fight against online child sexual exploitation and abuse. With an additional funding of 8.5 million, we are bringing the total funding for 2024–2026 to $15 million and are doubling down on our commitment to scale the most promising ideas for children’s digital safety worldwide“
Marija Manojlovic
Marija ManojlovicExecutive Director, Safe Online
Read more on the new projects here
See more of our recent updates

The Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution

January 10, 2024

Our grantees The Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution Safe Online Environmnets for Children Countries involved:Palestine With support from the Fund, the Palestinian Centre for Democracy and Conflict Resolution is raising awareness about online child sexual exploitation and abuse in Palestine. By holding workshops for children, parents, school counselors, teachers, law

Read More »

12 new countries join flagship global initiative to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse

December 8, 2023

In today’s increasingly digital world, the internet has become an integral part of children and young people’s lives, providing enormous opportunities for communication, education and entertainment. At the same time, it can also present a serious threat to their safety and well-being. Unfortunately, there is very little solid evidence available on the scale of these risks, which groups of children are more likely to be harmed, and where or how this happens.

Read More »

EPCAT International (Disrupting Harm)

January 9, 2024

Our grantees ECPAT International (Disrupting Harm) Evidence From 14 Countries on the Context, Threats, and Children’s Perspectives of Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Countries involved:Thailand Disrupting Harm is a large-scale data collection and research project to better understand online child sexual exploitation and abuse across the world. This study

Read More »
Posted on

Narrative-driven case studies

Exciting Opportunity!

Safe Online is looking for an agency to conduct in-depth, narrative-driven case studies in the Global South that highlight best practices, enablers, and lessons learned in achieving systemic responses to online CSEA!

This work is part of Safe Online’s broader evidence and learning agenda, aimed at generating actionable, context-rich insights to inform programming, policy, advocacy, and investment in this space. 

Objective

The key objectives of this work include:

  1. Exploring how national-level systemic responses to online CSEA have emerged, adapted, and scaled;
  2. Identifying enablers, challenges, and change pathways;
  3. Highlighting multi-sector collaboration and survivor- and child-centred strategies.
  4. Contribute to cross-country learning and global knowledge generation.

This is not a standardised case study process. We are looking for a learning-focused, participatory approach that goes beyond documentation and instead supports reflective insight generation. The case studies will be complemented by communication products tailored to a range of audiences—donors, policymakers, practitioners, and advocates—including briefs, visual storytelling formats, and presentations for high-level dissemination.

Read the full Terms of Reference here

Key steps

1. Terms of Reference

Read the full Terms of Reference here

Click here

2. Register as a supplier

Register as a supplier on the United Nations Global Market

Click here

3. Please log-in

Once the registration is complete, please log-in via this link with your e-mail address and password

Click here

4. Procurement Opportunities

Select the tab ‘Procurement Opportunities’, and search for this Tender with this reference: RFPS-NYH-2025-503831

5. Express Interest

Select ‘Express Interest’ to access the key documents to submit a proposal.

6. Join the Pre-bid Conference

Join the Pre-bid Conference on 20 May 2025. You will have access to the link to join after you have completed steps 2-5.

7. Ask questions

Ask questions via the ‘correspondence tab’ no later than 22 May 2025.

8. E-submission instructions

Refer to the e-submission instructions for more information on how to upload your proposal.

Click here

Key tips

1. Signature Required

Make sure the technical proposal is signed if not it will be automatically discarded

2. No Financial Info

Make sure to not include information on financials in the technical proposal. If not, it will be disqualified.

3. Follow Evaluation Criteria

Refer to the evaluation criteria and include key experts’ CVs.

Key dates

Deadline to submit applications: 4 July 2025, 15:00 Central European Time (CET)

Posted on

Press Release: Safe Online Proudly Announces the Launch of the Second Edition of the Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

Press Release

Safe Online Proudly Announces the Launch of the Second Edition of the Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

April 3, 2025: Safe Online is proud to announce the launch of the Second Edition of the Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, a comprehensive resource aimed at improving the accuracy, sensitivity, and consistency of language used in the fight against child sexual exploitation and abuse. The updated guidelines will officially launch at a global webinar on April 10, 2025, at 13:00 GMT.

Safe Online proudly participated in the development of the new guidelines, alongside ECPAT, Childlight|Global Child Safety Institute, the WeProtect Global Alliance and a diverse group of global organisations and entities representing different sectors. The updated edition reflects the latest insights and best practices in child protection, offering refined definitions and language to improve how professionals, policymakers, and the media refer to cases of child sexual exploitation and abuse and contribute to ensuring no child is hurt by the words of the professionals they meet. 

Key Updates in the Second Edition 

The Second Edition includes updated definitions and guidance on key terms related to child sexual exploitation and abuse, including: 

  • Avoid victim-blaming language: Encouraging the use of survivor-centred and blame-free language that respects how individuals define their experiences and does not shift the blame on children. 
  • Online Exploitation: Expanded coverage of technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse, including grooming, sexting, and livestreaming. 
  • Perpetrator Language: There are more precise distinctions between adult perpetrators of sexual crimes against children and children who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour. 
  • Harmful Terms: A repeated call to eliminate terms like “child prostitute” and “child pornography”, which misrepresent the nature of the abuse and shift blame onto victims. 

The guidelines also provide greater attention to intersectionality, gender identity, and LGBTQI+ considerations, ensuring that language reflects the diverse realities of child survivors and those at increased risk of sexual exploitation. 

A Collaborative Global Effort 

The updated guidelines were developed through an extensive collaborative process involving over 40 global organisations, including survivor advocates, legal experts, and child protection professionals. The Interagency Working Group combined diverse expertise and perspectives to create a globally relevant and adaptable resource that reflects the evolving nature of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Download the Guidelines
See more of our recent updates

Internet Watch Foundation

January 9, 2024

Our grantees Internet Watch Foundation Reporting Portal Project Countries involved:United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland With support from the Fund, the Internet Watch Foundation is progressing its mission to eliminate child sexual abuse from the internet by working in 30 countries – the majority of which are in Africa – to

Read More »

EPCAT International (Disrupting Harm)

January 9, 2024

Our grantees ECPAT International (Disrupting Harm) Evidence From 14 Countries on the Context, Threats, and Children’s Perspectives of Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. Countries involved:Thailand Disrupting Harm is a large-scale data collection and research project to better understand online child sexual exploitation and abuse across the world. This study

Read More »

Plan International UK

January 10, 2024

Our grantees Plan International UK Cyber-safe Spaces for Children and Youth in Manila and Quezon City Countries involved:The Philippines In the Philippines, Plan International United Kingdom is working in the Philippines to ensure children are protected from online sexual exploitation and abuse, perpetrators are apprehended and prosecutors, and children enjoy the benefits

Read More »
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Instagram
  • info@safeonline.global
  • 633 Third Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10017

Copyright Safe Online 2023 © 

All imagery is taken from the Safe Online and UNICEF image library

Privacy Policy

Learn to report abuse

Find out more
Stay in the loop.
close menu icon

Our purpose in detail

We are here to ensure every child and young person grows in to the digital world feeling safe, and is protected from harm.

We support, champion, and invest in innovative partners from the public, private, and third sectors working towards the same objective.

We believe in equipping guardians and young people with the skills to understand and see danger themselves once accessing digital experiences without supervision.

We'd love to have a chat

We're thrilled you're interested in donating to Safe Online - pop in the details below and we will get back to you to set up a discussion.