Naked Children on Live Streams: A Disturbing Trend That Cannot Be Ignored

In the past two months, analysts from Ukraine’s INHOPE  hotline (a global network working to prevent the spread of child sexual abuse materials) have reported a rise in incidents where children appear naked on live video streams. 

“We review videos not only from Ukraine but globally. And right now, we’re seeing a spike: children around 10–12 years old are undressing on camera. We don’t know exactly where these live streams take place. We only see the final videos. But it’s not hard to guess they’re live: children often read and follow ‘requests’ written to them in chats,” said Kateryna Yarosh, INHOPE hotline analyst and expert in online child abuse prevention at NGO “Magnolia.”

While videos made by children themselves are not a new phenomenon to analysts, as of spring 2025, they make up 70% of all reports to the hotline. These streams are unedited and often recorded without the children fully understanding they are part of a crime — becoming “content” for adult predators or voyeuristic viewers.

“It’s especially chilling when, during analysis, we hear children whispering not to speak loudly because their mother is in the next room. Yes, this can all happen right under a parent’s nose — in the same apartment, behind the closed door of a child’s room,” adds Yarosh.

In human rights circles, this phenomenon is now being referred to as “self-generated child sexual abuse material (SG-CSAM)”, or “intimate content created by children themselves.” It is still a form of sexual exploitation.

There are many possible causes. But the main one remains coercion and manipulation by adults — through threats, “games” that require showing the body, or using fake profiles to pose as peers.

There is also the issue of children’s (especially teenagers’) desire for attention, popularity, or quick money: some platforms offer financial rewards through views or “gifts.” Teens don’t always realize they’re being exploited.

And it’s no secret that sexual education and digital literacy in Ukraine remain low: many children simply don’t understand that they’re breaking the law or becoming victims of a crime.

Let’s Remember: In just the first year of INHOPE’s hotline in Ukraine, analysts processed 3,224 reports, of which 1,060 were confirmed criminal offenses. That means at least a thousand children were victims of exploitation, with images of their vulnerability and humiliation being spread online — for the enjoyment of criminals…

First and foremost — acknowledge the problem.
This is not “harmless fun,” not “childish mischief,” and not something the children are “to blame for.”
This is a modern form of sexual exploitation disguised as voluntary behavior.

If you come across child sexual abuse materials online, report them at https://stopcrime.ua/net-crime
to help block the content and assist in investigations.