At a recent conference we attended, an attendee confidently stated that there are “over 750,000 online child predators targeting children online on a daily basis.” This alarming figure has been widely circulated both online and offline, but where did this statistic come from, and is it accurate given that we have also quoted this number in the past as well?
Many people attribute this number to the FBI, as we once did, but pinpointing its exact origin proves challenging. The statistic seems to have been referenced by various child protection agencies and law enforcement organizations. One commonly cited source pointed to by these groups and many others – a 2011 statement made by Shawn Henry, then the Executive Assistant Director at the FBI, who mentioned the 750,000 figure during a public statement. (1) However, no citation or source was provided, which is unusual, since the FBI typically supports its public-facing statistics with reliable references and research.
In an attempt to further track down the origin of the “750,000 online predators” claim made by the FBI, we found a 2009 United Nations General Assembly report, which stated that “the number of predators connected to the Internet at any one time is estimated to be 750,000.” (2) Interestingly, this is the same figure mentioned by the FBI’s Shawn Henry in 2011, two years later. While it’s possible the FBI borrowed this number from the UN report, we couldn’t find a clear citation for its accuracy in either source.
Recently, we’ve been seeing references and citations online that point to a new figure of 500,000 daily online predators, which was also allegedly sourced by the FBI. However, this sourced number appears to come from a website affiliated with a law firm, which did not directly attribute the number to any official FBI report that we could find. (3)
When we investigated further, we found a second source that seems to come from a video shared by an organization on social media, where someone stated, “Right now, law enforcement can see over 500,000 unique IP addresses around the world actively trading child sexual abuse material (CSAM).” (4) However, the video does not provide a source for this figure. Even if the number is accurate, which it could be, the context is crucial – “500,000 unique IP addresses trading CSAM worldwide.” It’s important to recognize the difference between “trading” CSAM and “targeting” children online for sexual exploitation and predation. While both are terrible, they are different issues.
This underscores a common problem with how statistics about online child safety are often shared and misinterpreted – many times without clear sources or proper citations. In fact, we couldn’t find a single evidence-based, peer-reviewed study that provides an exact number of online child predators who target kids online and are active on a daily basis – not one! It would appear that given the lack of evidence to support the 750,000 number, it has become a statistical myth that has become widely accepted despite the lack of evidence as to its validity, thus why we will no longer be using it.
The United States National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the Canadian Centre For Child Protection (C3P), two prominent and extremely credible organizations who are involved in the fight against online child exploitation, have not officially quoted specific numbers like “750,000” or “500,000” in recent years. In fact, C3P only mentioned it in 2019 specific to the United Nations report that we mentioned earlier. (5)
Instead, NCMEC and C3P rightly focuses on more comprehensive metrics, such as the volume of reports they receive through their organizations reporting portals. In 2023 alone, NCMEC received over 36 million reports related to online child exploitation. (6) C3P in 2023 reported out that they have seen an 815% increase over a five-year period in online luring cased that were reported to their tip line. (7) This shift highlights the increasing complexity of online threats, moving beyond a single statistic of how many predators may be online daily targeting our kids -whether it’s 100,000, 500,000, 750,000, or even a million. What truly matters is the undeniable significant presence of online predation and exploitation, and every parent and caregiver must remain vigilant, regardless of the specific number of child predators online.
As the online landscape evolves, parents should be wary of statistics that lack citations or clear research methods, as these figures may not accurately represent current online risks. Instead of fixating on a specific number of predators, organizations like NCMEC and C3P stress the broader challenges of child exploitation, including the substantial volume of cases they manage each year.
As parents and caregivers, it’s natural to be concerned about the risks your children face online, especially when alarming statistics like “750,000 daily online predators” are thrown out to the public and frequently cited without clear sources, if any. However, it’s important to critically assess these claims and focus on proactive steps to protect your children, rather than succumbing to fear. (8)
While statistics like “750,000 or 500,000 online predators” can be eye-catching, attention grabbing, and shocking, they often lack context, clarity, or any kind of reputable sourcing. What’s more important? – understanding that online child exploitation is a clear and present threat that goes beyond a single number. As stated earlier, organizations like NCMEC and C3P, which handle millions of reports annually between them, emphasize the importance of focusing on the broader picture of online child safety rather than how many predators are online.
Parents and caregivers can take an active role in protecting their children online by staying informed, fostering open conversations, and utilizing practical tools to enhance their digital safety. Prioritizing education, communication, and collaboration over the exact number of online predators leads to a more secure environment for our kids – one rooted in informed decision-making, not fear. Yes, statistics are important to provide context, but we need to ensure that such statics are well researched and cited.
While the precise number of online predators is uncertain, there is no doubt that the risks of online predation and exploitation are indeed REAL and SUBSTANTIAL, reinforcing the need for proactive and thoughtful digital literacy and online safety education and prevention strategies specific to this issue.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
References
1/ https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/newss-henry_051611/view
2/ https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g09/146/27/pdf/g0914627.pdf
3/ https://childsafety.losangelescriminallawyer.pro/children-and-grooming-online-predators.html
4/ https://www.tiktok.com/@timtebowfoundation/video/7397450456856874270
7/ https://protectchildren.ca/en/press-and-media/news-releases/2023/safer-internet-day-2023
8/ https://thewhitehatter.ca/online-sexual-predation-and-exploitation/
