Shocking Development in Sextortion Cases Shows Children Are At Risk While Big Tech and Government Sit On Their Hands

As the scourge of sexual exploitation continues to threaten young people and Australians online, criminal sextortion gangs have found a new sophisticated tool to attack vulnerable people online. Internet users are now reportedly receiving messages with images of their home or street, in which the perpetrator threatens to share explicit images or videos unless a ransom is paid. While largely contained to the United States, it’s only a matter of time before Australians fall victim to the insidious crime.

Andrew Wallace MP, one of the Parliament’s most vocal advocates for social media reform, pointed to the latest development as evidence that Government was ‘dragging the chain’ when it comes to keeping kids safe online. He pointed to the slow roll-out of the age verification trial, which baƯlingly is not mandatory for social media companies.

Mr Wallace said this proves that the Labor Government didn’t care about child online safety, calling out big tech and the Prime Minister alike for failing to protect children online, despite a catalogue of grand promises and announcements.

On Friday, 28 June 2024 in a Parliamentary Hearing, Meta executives were asked about what they were doing to combat pornography on their platforms. They responded by saying, “… we don’t have pornography on our site...” When asked on 24 September 2024 whether they still stand by their statement, Meta confessed that they were working on the issue, highlighting that of the 3.7 million reports made in relation to child sexual exploitation, 48,000 instances included solicitations for child sexual abuse material and 3.6 million shares of similar photos or videos.

Mr Wallace claimed that this showed the prevalence of the problem and the patent disinterest from industry and Government to take the issue as seriously as they should.

“This issue is only getting worse. We need strong leadership to keep kids safe online, and we’re just not seeing it from Anthony Albanese. You can’t trust Labor and you can’t trust big tech when it comes to keeping kids safe,” Mr Wallace warned.

“Despite the expert evidence, the public demand, and the escalating impact of sexual exploitation and tech-facilitated abuse, the Government is still dragging its feet on age verification, and refusing to mandate it for social media companies,” Mr Wallace said.

“Every day that the Government dithers and delays is another day that Australian young people are exposed to sextortion and abuse by paedophiles, predators, bullies and harmful material – avoidably, and in a number of cases, fatally,” Mr Wallace added.

“At the same time, we have big tech and social media companies who talk the talk on wellbeing and child safety, and yet refuse to acknowledge their complicity in the physical, sexual and psychological harm that Australian children have suffered,” Mr Wallace said.

“Parents and police are telling us they need help – they’re crying out for the tools they need to keep our kids safe. The Government’s weak leadership and feigned interest in this issue is an affront to them, and to every child whose life has been turned upside down or lost as a result of their inaction and indifference,” Mr Wallace concluded.

Just last month, the Australian Federal Police’s Operation Huntsman shut down 1,800 bank and cryptocurrency accounts linked to international sextortion gangs, showing that while law enforcement’s capabilities are growing, the threat of sextortion just isn’t going away. In fact, AFP Commander for Human Exploitation, Commander Helen Schneider said, “…this is still an under-reported crime, and the sad reality is that we’re still receiving almost 100 reports of children in Australia being targeted by criminals every month.”

Thorn research in 2022 found that 40% of children have experienced ‘cold solicitations’ for nudes, including over one in four 9–12-year-olds. In 2023, the eSafety Commissioner found that over 1 in 3 young people first encountered pornography unintentionally when it was shared to them via social media networks. 2/3 of young men will have encountered this material unintentionally via social media. This harmful exposure is avoidable with strong moral and political leadership, and the courage to do what is right.

The Coalition has committed to tackling this issue front on, pledging to double the size of the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation as part of a wider strategy to industrialise law enforcement and intelligence strike capabilities against sexual predators online and in our communities.

The Leader of the Opposition has also committed to hold a Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse in Indigenous Communities, where the exploitation of children is disproportionately high.

At the same time, the Opposition have already tabled legislation to implement mandatory age verification for online pornography, wagering and social media, as well as to outlaw criminal post-boasting.