PETALING JAYA: Protecting children in the digital world needs to start much earlier, say child advocates, amid a surge in reports of online child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) in Malaysia, with many involving victims as young as seven years old.
According to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) data, Malaysia recorded 12,656 CSAM reports from January to June 2025, representing 78% of last year’s total.
Last year, a total of 16,238 reports were received by IWF, marking a 225% increase from 4,992 cases in 2023.
In 2024, the report found that 27% (4,323) of images reported involved children aged seven to 10, while 26% (4,148) were of children aged 11 to 13.
With such cases rising sharply, early digital safety education must begin as early as preschool, said Childline Foundation director Datin Wong Poi Hong.
“The reported cases involve videos and images of Malaysian children uploaded online.
“Some of these are self-generated by children themselves, while others result from grooming.
“And these figures only reflect detected or reported cases. The real number is likely much higher,” she said.
Wong said the Childline Foundation, in collaboration with CyberSecurity Malaysia, has been working with IWF since 2020 to receive and monitor reports of CSAM found online.
While many reports come from Malaysians, she said most are detected through IWF’s monitoring of content hosted or uploaded from within Malaysia.
Once identified, cases are brought to the attention of local law enforcement, including the police’s D11 sexual crimes unit, although the foundation has limited visibility on how these cases are handled.
Wong said current interventions on digital safety target secondary school students, which she described as “far too late”.
“We should start teaching children about digital safety as early as preschool. At that age, they must already understand what’s appropriate to share online, what’s private, and how to recognise unsafe behaviour,” she said.
She added that parents play a critical role, as many children spend long hours on digital devices without supervision.
“Parents often use gadgets to keep children occupied. When children are lonely or unsupervised, they look for friends online and that’s where the risk begins,” she said.
However, Wong warned that removing devices altogether is not a realistic solution.
“We can’t solve this by banning social media or taking devices away. The key is to teach children what’s right and wrong and help them understand the consequences of their actions online.
“It’s not just about digital skills; it’s about building values. When children learn empathy and emotional regulation from a young age, they’re less likely to engage in harmful behaviour, whether online or offline,” she said.
As part of its education efforts, Wong said CyberSecurity Malaysia and parenting platform makchic, has launched a storybook titled The Society of Online Superheroes (SOS): A Super Smart Guide to Internet Safety.
“It’s a good starting point for families to begin conversations about digital responsibility,” Wong said.
Child protection activist Roland Edward said the rise in online CSAM reflects deeper social and structural issues, stemming from a combination of unregulated technology use, parents’ lack of digital awareness and weak community support systems.
“Technology has advanced faster than our laws and understanding of how to protect children online.
“We’re giving kids access to the Internet without proper guardrails or parameters,” he said.
He called for stronger family engagement, community vigilance and updated legal protections, which are vital to keeping children safe online.
Adviser of Malaysian Positive Psychology Association Dr Anasuya J. Jegathesan said children aged under 14 need digital supervision, and digital devices should not be allowed in their private spaces like their rooms.
“Phones and computers need to be in a public area,” she said, adding that having digital devices in the children’s rooms could open them up to the risk of abuse and grooming from outsiders.
She added that parents should build strong relationships with their children to encourage open conversations about online safety and any issues they may be facing.
