Sextortion schemes, in which victims are forced to send explicit images in exchange for money, digital values or requests to continue generating and sending more sensitive material, have targets of all ages, but with a special interest in adolescents.
Given this scenario, there is a risk that this phenomenon will become a global crisis.
Minors have access to more information on their devices than the president of the United States had just 15 years ago, and with a speed 120 million times greater than that of all the computers of the NASA Apollo mission to reach the moon.
The problem, in addition to organized criminal gangs with the ability to cross any border, is that only 1 in 10 victims will tell a parent or trusted adult about any type of abuse.
In terms of bullying -which does not necessarily include economic pretense- 40% of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 have been bullied online.
Cyberbullying and digital sexual crimes comprise a variety of actions ranging from: revenge porn, digital violence and extortion, illicit filming, unauthorized streaming, distribution of nude photos, upskirting, cyberflashing and trolling.
The capacities and advantages acquired by the aggressors in the digital environment reside fundamentally in anonymity and the possibility of constructing synthetic identities.
The non-consensual nature of this conduct makes it violative and intrusive, making people feel “disgusted” and “vulnerated” with the addition of the action of “economic extortion”.
Any application where messages and photos can be shared is an opportunity for predators to lure victims.
This manipulation begins with persuasive messages;
It all starts with something simple, sending photos and ultimately leads to sending nude or sexually explicit images.
The list of platforms is enormous and it varies so as not to establish a fixed and repetitive pattern of criminal behavior.
On gaming sites and video chat apps, predators, posing as girls, trick victims into sending them explicit videos or photos, and then threaten to post the material unless they send money or valuables somewhere. Format.
There is an “explosion” in the number of such cases over the last year and the problem is happening all over the world, the attack surface is huge and global.
The US Department of Justice reported in December that more than 3,000 minors, mainly boys, had been subjected to sextortion in 2022, a sharp increase from previous years, and that more than a dozen victims committed suicide.
Although sextortion is committed virtually, it can have serious physical impacts.
After threats and aggression, victims may feel lonely, ashamed, scared, and these feelings can lead children to depression and self-harm.
It is necessary that people are aware of the risks and adopt a safe posture and if there has been an incident they report it.
Unfortunately, thousands have been victimized and it is not enough to assume that our children would never do that.
According to our research, 1 in 4 minors spend more than 6 hours a day connected to the internet, and in this post-pandemic phase, minors went from only using technology to play to using it for a large number of activities.
So it is essential to take urgent action and start conversations with our youth about the current cyber ecosystem and warn them about possible threats and ensure vigilance so that they do not become the next victim.
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