Online child abuse has reached alarming levels in 2025, according to the annual report by Associazione Meter, presented today at the headquarters of INAIL. Platforms such as TikTok, Telegram, and Signal, along with less accessible corners of the internet such as the Dark Web, have become primary channels for the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is worsening the problem by creating manipulated images and videos, such as deepnudes, that violate the dignity of real minors.

The report, titled “Bambini Vittime” (“Child Victims”), documents 8,213 minors identified as victims of deepnudes: artificially generated images in which children are digitally undressed or manipulated without their consent. This figure is in addition to 785,072 images and 1,733,043 videos of real abuse reported during the year. “Deepnude images represent a serious form of abuse because they always affect a real victim,” the document explains in its Italian version. AI transforms innocuous material into sexual content, fueling the child sexual abuse market and exposing victims to psychological consequences such as anxiety, guilt, isolation, fear, and blackmail.

The Role of AI and Platforms in the Crisis

Through its World Observatory Against Pedophilia (OS.MO.CO.P.), Associazione Meter identified 115 active groups and bots on Signal and Telegram dedicated to distributing deepnudes. Telegram is the most widely used platform, but the Grok model, developed by Elon Musk, stands out as responsible for 14% of the detected content (1,121 files). “Grok is emerging as a tool for creating deepnudes and deepfakes,” the report states, underscoring how AI not only generates fabricated material but also normalizes criminal behavior and increases demand for real content.

Monitoring reveals a diverse geographic distribution: 505 national domains were involved, with New Zealand (177 reports), the British Indian Ocean Territory (110), Montenegro and Russia (46 each), and the United States (44). Italy’s .IT domain accounted for 14 reports. Among generic domains, 1,532 links were reported, including five compressed macro-folders (.RAR) containing 4,964 additional files that require registration or payment to access. The .COM domain led with 964 cases.

However, the total number of reported links dropped from 8,034 in 2024 to 2,037 in 2025—not because the phenomenon decreased, but due to the use of ephemeral links that change after each access. “The sophisticated use of AI, automated bots, and encrypted tools makes distribution faster and harder to intercept,” the report warns.

Victims Concentrated in the 8–12 Age Range

Analysis of the materials shows a concentration among children ages 8 to 12: 422,368 photos and 1,337,792 videos. This is followed by ages 3 to 7 (360,563 photos and 394,417 videos) and ages 0 to 2 (1,972 photos and 834 videos). “This highlights significant exposure among primary school–age children,” the document states.

Online Gaming Risks: Roblox Under Scrutiny

A survey conducted by Meter involving 467 children ages 9 to 11 reveals that 70% faced at least one risky situation on Roblox. Forty-five percent reported grooming attempts by strangers through private chats, yet only 10% are fully aware of the seriousness of such behavior. Fifty percent blocked suspicious users without informing adults, and 35% experienced cyberbullying. “Thirty percent of parents use digital devices as a reward or punishment, which influences children’s willingness to report incidents,” the report adds, calling for stronger prevention efforts and digital education.

Emerging Phenomena: “Pedomoms,” Animal Abuse, and Peer Violence

The monitoring highlights complex forms of abuse. “Pedomoms”—women and mothers who produce child sexual abuse material—are documented in 11,240 videos and 320 images shared on Signal, Telegram, and Viber, in domestic settings suggesting direct relationships with the victims.

Twenty-four groups were identified on Signal in which minors around age 11 are abused with animals. Additionally, 32% of analyzed content involves the production of explicit material between peers; 23% involves non-consensual distribution of intimate images; 18% sextortion; 15% grooming with requests for nudity; and 12% sexual abuse between minors. “These data confirm an evolution facilitated by digital technologies,” the report concludes.

Call to Action: Survivors Ask to Be Heard

Fortunato Di Noto, founder of Associazione Meter, emphasizes in the introduction: “Children continue to be victims. Every number represents a real abuse.” The association calls on institutions, media, and society to break the silence, promote prevention, and support victims. “Only a shared commitment will reduce these crimes,” he states.

The full report is available at: https://associazionemeter.org/chi-siamo/report-annuali/