Kids in a dangerous web “Parents must not choose the easy way out”

Sexual abuse, hate speech and cyberbullying are just some of the dangers lying in wait for adults as well as the youngest internet users. “Internet safety for children and young people begins offline,” emphasises Martyna Różycka, head of the NASK Dyzurnet.pl team, which reacts to about a thousand reported cases of potentially dangerous and illegal content every month

In 2020, the portal’s experts analysed 13,400 anonymously reported incidents. The Dyzurnet.pl team affiliated with the NASK National Research Institute has been working to ensure online security of the youngest internet users for over 15 years. It also acts as a contact point for anyone who is concerned about published content. Annual reports show that there are many reasons for concern.

A total of 2,517 reported incidents involved child sexual abuse (CSAM) while 878 depicted a child in a sexual context (child sexual exploitation material, or CSEM), including so-called “modelling” and “sexual posing.” In turn, 22 incidents were classified as promoting paedophile activity, whereas 8 cases were categorised as “child grooming,” i.e. establishing contact with a minor with the aim of having sexual intercourse or encouraging participation in pornographic production. Children also fall prey to sexual blackmail online (sextortion) in addition to encountering adult pornography, vulgar and aggressive content or even suicide promotion.