In 2025, the National Police Agency reported an increase of 80 children under 18 who became victims of crimes connected to social media, bringing the total to 1,566. Notably, elementary school students represented 167 of these cases, showing a dramatic increase of roughly four times over the past decade. This rise marks a significant concern as it follows a decline in such incidents from a peak of 2,082 victims in 2019, suggesting a troubling resurgence in cases involving social media platforms such as Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Among the elementary school victims, the types of abuse reported were alarming, with 55 cases of non-consensual lewd acts, 45 related to child pornography, and 24 instances of non-consensual intercourse. When considering serious crimes, which include murder, robbery, and other sexual offenses, 598 minors were reported as victims, an increase of 140 from the previous year. The rise of these serious cases is particularly concerning, as they have increased fourteenfold in a decade, prompting the police to advocate for measures such as parental control features on smartphones.

This situation has sparked urgent calls from educators for stricter regulations concerning minors' use of social media, highlighting the significant challenges schools face in addressing the complexity of these issues. There are appeals for harsher penalties for sexual offenses, including deep fake production, as well as for the implementation of treatment orders for offenders. The statistics underline a critical public safety issue that resonates deeply within communities as they navigate the risks presented by digital communication tools for young people.