By the end of this year, child advocates say there will be more reports of children being sexually exploited online than any other year in the past.
The reports come in across the country to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children via the center's cyber tip line.
Exploitation can vary from stalking, to pornography, to sex trafficking of children.
Last year, the center had more than 36 million reports of exploitation from across the country.
"Those numbers are unacceptable," said Callahan Walsh, executive director of the center's Florida branch.
Walsh said exploitation reports have been steadily increasing from year to year, and said his branch consistently works with local law enforcement, giving them new cases to investigate daily.
Walsh said the spike in reports began during the pandemic, as more predators hid behind their computer screens, leading Florida to having some of the highest reports of exploitation, with more than 45,000 reports to the center last year.
Walsh said they have even uncovered predators working together to target children online.
"We saw on the dark web chatter amongst these exploiters, sharing tips on how to exploit children, how to groom them, how to lure them from the home," said Walsh. "...We need to come together as a society to protect children."
Walsh explained the average age a child gets their phone now is 10 years old, and said parents being more attentive, setting rules, and educating their kids on the dangers that comes with talking to strangers online can cut down on the thousands of reports the center goes through every day.
