Published figure

21.3 million

Reports of suspected child sexual exploitation submitted to NCMEC’s CyberTipline in 2025, containing 61.8 million files. Online-enticement reports reached 1.4 million.

What this number is

U.S. platforms are required to report apparent child sexual abuse material, online enticement, and child sex trafficking to the CyberTipline. 21.3 million reports is the volume of that pipe in 2025, not the number of unique children and not the number of convictions.

Caveats

Reports can include duplicates, previously known files, and generative-AI nexus material. NCMEC escalated tens of thousands as urgent. Volume going up can mean more crime, more reporting, or both. It is infrastructure data, not a prevalence survey.

Why this matters for the pledge

Thorn’s platform tools sit in this pipe — helping companies detect CSAM so it can be reported and taken down. Launch pledges go 100% to that work, not to a generic aftercare split.