Websites trafficking child abuse images see sharp increase in a year, report warns

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleThe IWF is advocating for financial services to be mandated to detect and report payment links associated with access to these abhorrent abuse images (Getty/iStock)The number of commercial websites trafficking in child sexual abuse images has doubled in the past year, reaching 15,031 in 2025, according to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). The IWF's annual report also detailed the identification and digital marking of 317,101 child abuse images, with 16 per cent of these platforms (2,458) found to be disguised. The IWF is advocating for mandatory measures requiring financial services to detect and report payment links associated with these images, and for end-to-end encryption companies to adopt safety tools. Cases of child sextortion also more than doubled, with 397 reported to the IWF in 2025, up from 175 the previous year. Minister for Safeguarding Jess Phillips condemned the figures, stating new laws in the Crime and Policing Bill will target those running such sites and calling for the tech and financial sectors to act. In fullWebsites selling child abuse images double in past year as Jess Phillips hits out at ‘sickening’ new dataThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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