A new study by Evident and the HUG Project, financially supported by the World Childhood Foundation, sheds unprecedented light on why and how Thai youth are engaging with self-generated sexual content online.
The study is based on a survey of nearly 2,000 children aged 9–17 from seven Northern Thailand provinces, youth consultations, and interviews with law enforcement and frontline workers.
Key findings reveal that:
One in three older teens (14–17) reported knowing peers at their schools who had shared or received sexual content — including nude images of others they believed to be under the age of 18, adult pornography, and even AI deepfakes.
Motivations for sharing the content included gaining likes and followers (46%), financial incentives such as money or gifts (45%), and seeking validation or affirmation (40%). A notable proportion of respondents (34%) believed that young people share sexual content because they are pressured, tricked, or coerced.
Despite growing awareness of risks, 56% of youth agreed that technology makes it too easy to share intimate images without considering consequences.
Young people themselves often ranked online scams and drugs as more dangerous than sexual content — showing how risk perceptions in the digital age can differ between parents and young people.
“Often, we focus on fears rather than the realities children experience online. We must move beyond scare tactics that rely on shame or simply telling young people what not to do. To truly understand the full picture, we listened closely. The voices in this report are essential to uncovering the challenges they face, the support they need, and the solutions they want to see. Without their input, our efforts risk missing the mark.”
Britta Holmberg, Director Global Programs & Advocacy and Deputy Secretary General, World Childhood Foundation
Read the full report here.
About Evident
Evident makes evidence work for social change. They are a small Bangkok-based company focused on research projects and translating evidence into concrete actions to improve the way we look after children around the world.
About HUG Project
Hug Project is a Chiang Mai based foundation that exists to protect, prevent, and restore at-risk children as well as youth who have been exploited online, sexually abused, or trafficked.
