A survey released by the Taiwan Fund for Children and Families yesterday found that online “traps” remain widespread, with 15.91 percent of children and adolescents who added strangers as friends saying they would be willing to exchange their intimate photos for “free limited-edition items.”
The foundation’s latest Children and Adolescent Digital Safety Survey found that in a gaming scenario where they could get “free limited-edition items,” 31.35 percent of children and adolescents who engage with a stranger said they would add the person on Line.
Asked regarding the exchange of intimate photos using statements such as “everyone is doing it” or “it is a rare free opportunity,” 15.91 percent said they would send their own photos, the foundation said.
Photo courtesy of the foundation
The results highlight gaps in young people’s ability to recognize digital risks and set clear boundaries, it added.
About 70 percent of child and adolescent sexual exploitation cases over the past five years involved online crimes, the foundation said, adding that the number of victims rose from 1,691 in 2020 to 3,582 in 2024, or an increase of more than 111 percent.
Child online safety expert Liu Yu-chun (劉昱均) said digital sexual exploitation has transformed from simple cases of covert filming and image leaks to more complex forms of “digital blackmail.”
Offenders now often lure victims into nude video chats and secretly record them, and make children afraid of seeking help, she said.
Victims often say they did not think that would happen and ask whether there is a way to stop the images from spreading, Liu said.
“With the widespread use of digital platforms and tools, online sexual exploitation of minors has become an immediate and tangible risk for children,” she warned.
Hualien Hope Garden director Wu Chih-hsien (吳芝嫻) shared a case involving a young person called Hsiao-an (小安) as an example.
Due to a dysfunctional family environment, Hsiao-an sought affection online, but was unfortunately targeted by an online predator, who lured her into sending intimate images, Wu said.
When Hsiao-an tried to end the relationship, the perpetrator threatened to distribute the images, Wu said, adding that with the support of a social worker, the child reported the case to the police, and thanks to their intervention, the images were not circulated further.
Wu urged parents to make sure their children feel safe instead of blaming them in such scenarios, so they know they can seek help by reporting the crime to authorities or requesting digital takedowns.
She also encouraged young people to join clubs or explore interests to reduce reliance on the Internet.
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