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Fighting child sexual abuse: Commission proposes new rules to protect children

Today, the Commission is proposing new EU legislation to prevent and combat child sexual abuse online.

Top view image of two kids lying on the floor and playing with tablet and smartphone watching movie or gaming.

iStock photo Getty images plus

With 85 million pictures and videos depicting child sexual abuse reported worldwide in 2021 alone, and many more going unreported, child sexual abuse is pervasive. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issue, with the Internet Watch foundation noting a 64% increase in reports of confirmed child sexual abuse in 2021 compared to the previous year.

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