06/09/2026
The numbers are in, and they should stop every parent in their tracks.
In 2025, reports of online enticement increased by 156%, child s*x trafficking reports surpassed 105,000, and NCMEC received more than 1.5 million reports involving generative AI and child s*xual exploitation.
But here's what those numbers really mean:
More children are being approached by predators online. More children are being manipulated, groomed, and exploited through devices they use every day. More offenders are using technology, including AI, to target children in ways many parents have never imagined. The greatest threat to a child is no longer limited to someone standing nearby.
Today, it can come through a gaming platform, a social media app, a DM, or a phone sitting safely in their bedroom. These are not someone else's children. They are our children.
At Operation Light Shine, we remain committed to equipping investigators, advancing technology, strengthening partnerships, and supporting the professionals working every day to identify victims, hold offenders accountable, and protect children before they become another statistic.
The technology is evolving.
The threat is growing.
Our commitment to protecting children remains unwavering.
