GSU Researchers Urge Greater Protections Against Online Sexual Abuse of Children

ATLANTA—A team of Georgia State University researchers is calling for digital platforms to implement stronger safety measures in response to a new study that highlights widespread online child sexual abuse.

In a commentary published in the journal Nature, School of Public Health professors Xiangming Fang and Greta Massetti urge the use of safety by design features such as default privacy protections for minors and restrictions on adult-to-child contact.

“It’s time for platforms to play a greater role in ensuring that online environments are safe places for young people,” said Fang, a research professor in the Department of Health Management and Policy. “The burden of preventing online sexual abuse should not rest on families and children alone.”

Earlier this year Fang, Massetti and an international team of researchers published a study that estimates that more than 130 million children globally experienced sexual violence in 2024 alone. Their commentary accompanies a study by UNICEF researchers that found that one in six Internet-using children across Africa and Southeast Asia reported experiencing at least one form of online child sexual abuse in the year before the survey. The study also found that more than half of affected children never disclosed their experience to someone else.

The UNICEF study found that children who reported supportive parental involvement in their digital lives were more likely to share their experiences, which suggests that open and non-judgmental communication can make it easier for children to share difficult experiences. In addition, children who knew where to seek help following sexual harassment or assault were more likely to tell others, which highlights the importance of equipping young people with awareness of potential harms online.

Supportive family environments are critical, but Fang and Massetti emphasize that they are no substitute for platform-level safeguards. Several international organizations and safety bodies, including the World Economic Forum and Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, have developed safety by design standards and guidance to protect children and other vulnerable users online.

“Design-based safeguards should not be optional,” said Massetti, a professor and chair of the Department of Population Health Sciences. “They are essential for protecting children from serious and lasting harm in an increasingly connected world.”