Child Cybercrimes Rise to 72 in 2024, Telangana Ranks 8th: CRY

The composition of the cases shows that online sexual exploitation remains a major component of the problem. This was stated by an NGO - Child Rights and You (CRY). It said CSAM cases accounted for 12 of the state's 72 registered cases in 2024. This is nearly 17 per cent of the state's total cases – the share falling under NCRB's 'Cyber Pornography/Hosting or Publishing Obscene Sexual Materials depicting children' crime head.

However highest number of 50 cases are categorised under other cybercrimes against children, which is 69 per cent of the total.

The considerable percentage of CSAM cases underscores the severity of the online sexual exploitation threat. The district-level picture also shows a concentration of reported CSAM cases.

Cyberabad and Warangal Commissionerates recorded three cases each in 2024, followed by Ramagundam Commissionerate and Rajanna Siricilla with two each. Together, the four districts accounted for 10 of the state's 12 CSAM-related cases, or nearly 83 per cent. Hyderabad Commissionerate and Nizamabad Commissionerate recorded one case each.

“These numbers point to a changing reality where children's safety and wellbeing are increasingly shaped not only by what happens around them, but also by what happens on their screens. Yet, many children continue to suffer in silence – hesitant to report harmful online experiences for fear of being blamed or punished,” said John Roberts, Regional Director, CRY South.

The dominance of CSAM cases makes prevention, early detection, reporting and rapid removal of such material a central child-protection priority, alongside action on bullying, stalking, harassment and other forms of online harm.

The Telangana government has combined the CybHER campaign focused on girl students with the Cyber Congress model that trains student “Cyber Ambassadors” and teachers. Enforcement is coordinated through the Women Safety Wing of state police and dedicated cybercrime police stations.

The challenge will be to ensure that technology-led surveillance and regulation are matched by child-friendly reporting, digital literacy, trained teachers and counsellors, and sustained engagement with parents and children.

The continuing presence of cybercrimes against children calls for a response that combines enforcement with prevention. Technology platforms also have a responsibility to strengthen age-verification systems and simplify child-safety reporting tools”, said John Roberts.

Recognising this urgent need, CRY has launched a nationwide campaign 'Ting Tong', themed ‘Think twice when online for a safer digital world for children.’ “The campaign uses the familiar sound of a notification or alert as an internal warning signal: Before you trust – Ting Tong. Before you click – Ting Tong. Before you share – Ting Tong,” he explained.