A new and disturbing form of online child exploitation is surging worldwide, with predators using encrypted platforms to coerce children into committing acts of extreme violence, self-harm, and even suicide, often live-streamed for an audience of fellow abusers.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) says reports of “sadistic online exploitation” (SOE) jumped from 508 in the first half of 2024 to 1,093 in the first half of 2025, a 115% increase. The Department of Homeland Security has issued warnings describing SOE as driven by “a network of criminal actors who are primarily involved with extorting minors to commit digital and real-world sex crimes; commit criminal acts against people, property and animals; and promote self-harm and suicide.”
The groups, often referred to internally as “The Community” or “The Com,” operate across international borders using Discord, Telegram, gaming platforms, and other encrypted services. They have hierarchies, leaders, and sometimes thousands of members. They target vulnerable children, those with histories of mental illness, depression, or weak support networks, building trust or feigning romantic interest before demanding escalating acts of violence.
Fallon McNulty, director of the CyberTipline at NCMEC, said the center continues to receive dozens of reports each month of minors being extorted into hurting themselves. The cases that are reported represent only a fraction of the total, experts say, because many victims are too ashamed or scared to come forward.
The exploitation follows a consistent pattern. An offender initiates contact on a public platform, builds a relationship, and convinces the child to produce an image or video. That material becomes leverage. The offender shares it with other members of the group, who then join in the blackmail, threatening to release the material to family and friends unless the child produces more extreme content, acts of self-harm, animal cruelty, and in the most serious cases, live-streamed suicide.
Abbigail Beccaccio, chief of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, said thousands of children have been targeted by these groups. “People are not understanding the severity, the speed at which their children can become victimized,” she said. “These are offenders that have the ability to change your child’s life in a matter of minutes.”
A disturbing feature of SOE is that offenders are often children themselves. Kids and teens are targeting each other, using the same methods as adult predators, and the behavior is frequently dismissed as “kids being kids.”
The global nature of these networks makes them difficult to police. They operate across jurisdictions, moving between platforms as enforcement cracks down. But law enforcement agencies in multiple countries are now treating SOE as a priority, and organizations like the Australian Federal Police have issued public warnings about its spread.
The core problem is structural. Encrypted messaging platforms provide safe harbor for abusers. Gaming platforms provide access to children at scale. Social media provides the initial point of contact. And the anonymity of the internet makes it nearly impossible for parents to know what is happening until it is too late.