Report Remove: free help for UK young people facing sextortion
New figures show more UK young people are using Report Remove, a free service to get nude images blocked or removed. Here is what parents can do.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has published figures from Report Remove, a free and confidential service for under 18s in the UK. It is run by the IWF together with Childline. It lets a young person report nude or sexual images of themselves that may have got out of control online.
In 2025 the service received 1,894 reports from children and young people, a 66% rise on the year before. Analysts confirmed child sexual abuse imagery in 1,175 of them. Of those confirmed reports, 34% involved some form of sextortion, up from 23% in 2024. According to the report, boys aged 14 to 17 made up 98% of the reports involving sexually coerced extortion.
What sextortion means
Sextortion is when a criminal threatens to share nude or sexual images unless the young person pays money, sends gift cards or sends more content. The IWF says the threats often escalate quickly and may mention family, friends or school.
Why it matters for children
Childline's director said that many young people feel fear and isolation, and often struggle to tell a trusted adult. The IWF's chief executive said that it is never the young person's fault and that help is available.
Report Remove can also block an image from being shared on the open web before a criminal has had the chance to post it. That can take away the power of a threat to share it.
What parents can do
- Tell your child they can always come to you if someone threatens them, and that they will not be in trouble.
- Show your child that Report Remove and Childline are free, confidential places to get help.
- If a threat arrives, advise them not to pay or send more, and help them report it together.