ECPAT and NSPCC’s 2023 Poll has shown that public opinion remains steadfast. We surveyed 25,151 people aged 18+ across 15 EU countries and the UK and we found out that the call for legislation to protect children online is not up for debate; it’s an urgent public demand. More than half of all Europeans surveyed declared that this issue will influence how they vote at a future election. With the European Parliament elections on the horizon in June 2024, MEPs face a duty and a moral imperative to enact meaningful legislation for online child safety.
Not only are Europeans calling for more child safety online, but ECPAT and Eurobarometer data show they want it now more than ever. In 2021, ECPAT conducted a similar poll, asking EU citizens about their views on child safety online. The findings from 2021 and 2023 underscore a major growing concern among European citizens: children in 2023 are not safer online than they were in 2021. The time has come to place legal obligations on online service providers, such as social media platforms, to assess and mitigate the risk of child sexual abuse on their online platforms.
In the words of Frida*, a survivor of technology-facilitated sexual abuse as a child:
“As a 13-year-old, I deserved to be safe, and I deserved the right to express myself on the internet. As someone in my early twenties I deserve the right to privacy, the right to know that explicit images and videos of me as a child can’t continue to be shared.”
Despite the contentious debate around online privacy, ECPAT and NSPCC poll reveal that 72% of adults in the EU and the UK are willing to compromise some degree of their privacy online if it helps to protect children from risks of sexual abuse online. Data show that more than 70% of adults in the EU and the UK support online service providers to detect, report, and remove child sexual abuse material and grooming on end-to-end encrypted services. The message is clear: privacy concerns should not eclipse the safety of our children.
Amy Crocker, Head of Child Protection and Technology at ECPAT International said:
Public sentiment remains unswayed by privacy debates that overshadow child protection needs. The demand for comprehensive legislation safeguarding our children online is urgent, immediate, and non-negotiable. EU leaders can no longer afford to be inactive or indecisive. Privacy is essential, buthe well-being of our children must be the cornerstone of EU digital policies.
Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said:
It’s clear that voters across the UK and Europe back strong protections for children online and companies opposed to regulation are becoming increasingly out of step with their user base. Lawmakers and tech executives should listen to the voices of survivors and the public by placing the safety of children at the centre of their decision-making.
Data reveals that Europeans see online service providers as one of the most important actors in preventing and protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation online. And for a good reason! A WeProtect Global Study on the experiences of 18-20-year-old confirms Europeans’ growing concern: more than 60% of child respondents in Europe are experiencing at least one form of child sexual abuse online. Alarmingly, more than 60% of children worldwide are receiving unwanted sexually explicit photos, videos, or messages through mobile phones on private messaging services.
ECPAT Disrupting Harm research shows that advice and education coming from parents and teachers is not enough to protect children online. More needs to be done on the side of tech companies and online service providers as the dangers for children increase.
Meet ECPAT Project Beacon – Putting children’s rights into the heart of digital policy
What do the EU citizens really think about data privacy and child protection online?
How far are we to ensure Child Safety Online in the EU? A timeline of events.
Towards online child protection in the EU
Why Does Online Child Protection Matter? Here is ECPAT Project Beacon to explain why
ECPAT welcomes European Commission’s proposal to prevent and combat child sexual abuse
What is ECPAT doing to ensure Child Safety Online in the EU?
Comment, like, and share to help us get the word out! #EUvsChildSexualAbuse #ChildSafetyON
Children on the move’s digital connectivity needs often conflict with safe navigation. In this context, ECPAT International and ARSIS conducted a research project to explore the perceptions and experiences of children on the move in using technologies, the manifestations of technology-facilitated harms, including sexual exploitation, and how to build safer online environments for children. Participatory sessions were conducted with 32 children on the move (aged 14–17), including 9 girls and 23 boys living in ARSIS accommodation facilities. Through structured and playful activities, children created and narrated fictional digital characters (avatars), allowing them to safely express experiences, perceptions of risk, and ideas about digital safety without requiring personal disclosure. To complement children’s perspectives, the research included interviews with 17 service providers in Greece and 25 global key informants working on digital safety and child protection. Children on the move described technology as central to their daily lives, functioning both as an everyday tool and as a lifeline during their journeys. Digital devices supported communication with family and peers, adaptation to new environments, learning, entertainment and access to information, while also helping children navigate unfamiliar places, overcome language barriers, and stay safe. Children’s digital engagement was shaped by intersectional factors, including gender, background, and mobility conditions.
Available in: English, Greek
These documents capture key lessons generated from the Children Know Better project, exploring how to engage children safely, ethically, and meaningfully in participatory research and advocacy on child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Available in: English
Ces rapports visent à fournir une compréhension contextualisée de l’exploitation sexuelle des garçons au Burkina Faso, en Côte d’Ivoire, en Guinée et au Niger. Ils se concentrent sur les perceptions au sein des communautés locales, les facteurs qui exposent les garçons à des risques accrus et les besoins en matière de prévention, de protection et de services de soutien.
Available in: French
Ces rapports visent à fournir une compréhension contextualisée de l’exploitation sexuelle des garçons au Burkina Faso, en Côte d’Ivoire, en Guinée et au Niger. Ils se concentrent sur les perceptions au sein des communautés locales, les facteurs qui exposent les garçons à des risques accrus et les besoins en matière de prévention, de protection et de services de soutien.
Available in: French
Ces rapports visent à fournir une compréhension contextualisée de l’exploitation sexuelle des garçons au Burkina Faso, en Côte d’Ivoire, en Guinée et au Niger. Ils se concentrent sur les perceptions au sein des communautés locales, les facteurs qui exposent les garçons à des risques accrus et les besoins en matière de prévention, de protection et de services de soutien.
Available in: French
Ces rapports visent à fournir une compréhension contextualisée de l’exploitation sexuelle des garçons au Burkina Faso, en Côte d’Ivoire, en Guinée et au Niger. Ils se concentrent sur les perceptions au sein des communautés locales, les facteurs qui exposent les garçons à des risques accrus et les besoins en matière de prévention, de protection et de services de soutien.
Available in: French