Sextortion Hits Young Men Hard
· anime
Sextortion’s Dark Web: How Tech Fails Young Men (and Everyone Else)
Australia’s online safety regulator eSafety has released a transparency report that reveals the tech industry’s inability to protect its users from sextortion. The numbers are alarming, with over 2,000 complaints of sexual extortion made between July and December 2025, with men aged 18-24 accounting for nearly 800 reports. Instagram and WhatsApp were the most frequently cited platforms used by perpetrators.
The eSafety report highlights persistent safety gaps in detection technologies, including language analysis that can identify coercion scripts used by offenders. Microsoft stands out as an exception, having implemented both language analysis and proactive detection tools. However, this is a solitary effort; most platforms continue to rely on reactive measures, removing offending content only after it’s been reported.
Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, notes that despite the availability of technology, platforms are not taking adequate steps to prevent these harms. Instead, they’re relying on users to report incidents, which can be a daunting task for those who’ve been threatened or blackmailed. Dr. Joanne Gray, a University of Sydney academic, criticizes this reactive approach as a failure to embed safeguards into the design of services.
The tech industry’s response is telling. With billions invested in innovation and new technologies, one would expect a greater emphasis on user safety. Dr. Gray astutely points out that if tech companies want to provide live-streaming services, they must do so responsibly. This requires a fundamental shift in how these platforms approach online interactions.
Sextortion affects not just young men but anyone who uses social media or messaging apps. Perpetrators often move seamlessly between services and exploit gaps in platform design. This highlights the larger problem of our reliance on tech companies to self-regulate and prioritize user safety.
The eSafety report serves as a litmus test for the tech industry’s commitment to online safety. Will they take proactive steps to prevent sextortion, or will they continue to rely on reactive measures? The answer will have far-reaching consequences for anyone who uses these platforms.
Reader Views
- TIThe Ink Desk · editorial
The sextortion epidemic highlights a fundamental flaw in tech's approach: prioritizing convenience over user safety. While Microsoft's proactive measures are a step forward, most platforms remain reactive, relying on users to report incidents after they've been extorted. This model is woefully inadequate – victims often face intimidation and shame when coming forward. What's missing from the conversation is the long-term psychological impact of these events: how can we support survivors in rebuilding their online lives? The tech industry must shift its focus from mitigating harm to preventing it altogether, rather than just responding to reports.
- KAKenji A. · longtime fan
The eSafety report highlights a glaring problem: tech companies are failing to take proactive measures against sextortion, instead relying on users to come forward and report incidents. But what about the victims who don't report? Those who feel ashamed or intimidated into silence are often left to pick up the pieces on their own. We need to consider not just the numbers, but also the human impact: how do we support those who've been extorted, and ensure they're able to rebuild their lives with dignity and safety?
- MPMira P. · comics critic
The eSafety report's alarming numbers should come as no surprise: social media platforms are designed to optimize engagement over safety. Until we fundamentally rethink how these services are designed, users will continue to bear the brunt of sextortion and other online harms. The onus shouldn't be solely on victims to report incidents; tech companies must proactively implement robust safeguards, not just reactive measures. We need to push beyond simply identifying coercion scripts – it's time for platforms to prioritize preventive technology that detects and disrupts malicious activity before it occurs.