One in three Thai teenagers aged 14–17 has been exposed to nude or sexual content online, with many driven by the chase for likes and followers on social media, a new study has revealed.
The report, “Leaked: Understanding and Addressing Self-Generated Sexual Content Involving Young People in Thailand”, was carried out by research group Evident and the HUG Project, with support from the World Childhood Foundation.
Researchers surveyed nearly 2,000 children and adolescents aged 9–17 across seven northern provinces between August 2024 and March 2025. The study also drew on youth consultations and interviews with police and frontline workers.
Results showed that one in three respondents knew classmates who had shared or received sexual material, including nude photos of peers believed to be under 18, adult pornography and even AI-generated deepfakes.
Almost half of those surveyed (46%) said they shared sexual content to gain likes and followers, while 45% pointed to financial rewards such as money or gifts, and 40% cited a need for validation.
About 34% said young people were pressured, deceived or coerced into sharing such material.
Despite awareness of risks, 56% admitted that technology makes it easy to spread intimate images without considering the consequences.
The study also found teenagers often see online scams and drugs as more dangerous than sexual content, exposing a gap between parental concerns and youth perceptions.
“Young people are growing up in a world where their digital lives are inseparable from their offline ones,” said Wirawan Mosby, director and founder of the HUG Project and a 2017 Trafficking in Persons Report Hero.
“Instead of using shame or telling them not to take risks, we need to listen and give them guidance about how to carefully engage in online and offline relationships,” she said.
