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March 6, 2026

Identifying the Demographic and Internet Use Characteristics of Technology-Facilitated Child Sex Offenders Operating in the Australian, U.S. and U.K. General Population.

MSMichael SalterUNSW Sydney TWTyson WhittenAustralian Institute of Criminology DWDelanie WoodlockUNSW Sydney

Key Points

This research aims to identify and compare the demographic and internet use characteristics of technology-facilitated child sex offenders in Australia, the U.S., and the U.K.
Analyzed three quota-based samples of adult males from Australia, U.S., and U.K.
Calculated odds of offending based on demographic and online behavior factors using logistic regression.
Assessed effect sizes and made comparisons between the three countries.
Technology-facilitated offending was 10.9% in the U.S., 7.5% in Australia, and 7.0% in the U.K.
Online offenders were 2 to 3.7 times more likely to work with children.
Offenders across jurisdictions were significantly more sexually active online and used privacy software for protection.

Abstract

Research on technology-facilitated child sex offenders outside of forensic and clinical samples is scarce but necessary to inform prevention, early intervention, and investigation. This article describes and compares the demographic characteristics and internet use habits of technology-facilitated child sex offenders sourced from three quota-based samples comparable to the Australian (n = 1,945), U.S. (n = 1,473), and U.K. (n = 1,506) adult male population. The odds (99% CI) of technology-facilitated child sex offending, relative to non-offenders, were calculated for demographic factors (e.g. age, sexual orientation, and number of children in household), hours per day spent online, frequency of engagement in common online behaviours (e.g. sending emails, online messaging, and private video chatting), use of social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat), online pornography viewership, and use of privacy software (e.g. The Onion Router TOR, Telegram, and Element). Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, educational attainment, household income, and residential location were conducted separately for each sample, with effect sizes formally compared between countries. The study identified significantly higher rates of technology-facilitated offending against children in the United States (10.9%) compared to Australia (7.5%) and United Kingdom (7.0%). Online offenders were between 2 and 3.7 times more likely to work with children and, depending on the jurisdiction, were significantly more likely to be employed, married/living with a partner, have a bachelor's degree or higher, and live with a child. Across all jurisdictions, technology-facilitated offenders were significantly more sexually active online, including paying for sexual services and content, visiting romance and dating websites, and viewing violent or animal pornography. The article considers the implications of these findings for prevention, early intervention, and more effective detection of technology-facilitated offending, including the role of internet regulation and the financial sector in online child protection.

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