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Child abuse sites more than doubled in 2025

4/23/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The Internet Watch Foundation said commercial child sexual abuse sites more than doubled in 2025 to 15,031.
The number of such sites rose 114% from the previous year across the United Kingdom.
Many sites first display legal content, then illegal material, and accept cryptocurrency, money-transfer services or credit cards.
UK minister Jess Phillips warned tech and finance firms they cannot ignore the problem and pledged the biggest state-led crackdown.

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Story summary

The Internet Watch Foundation said commercial child sexual abuse sites more than doubled in 2025 to 15,031.
The number of such sites rose 114% from the previous year across the United Kingdom.
Many sites first display legal content, then illegal material, and accept cryptocurrency, money-transfer services or credit cards.
UK minister Jess Phillips warned tech and finance firms they cannot ignore the problem and pledged the biggest state-led crackdown.