In 2023, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported a 27% increase in 'self-generated' child sexual abuse images and videos, marking a disturbing trend involving very young children, including those as young as three years old. The foundation particularly noted a significant rise in the most severe imagery, which involves the worst forms of sexual abuse. Perpetrators are targeting children within the safety of their own homes, manipulating them into producing abusive content through devices commonly found in family settings. Most imagery was captured in children’s bedrooms, often surrounded by innocent items like toys and cartoon-themed bedding. The IWF stresses that 'self-generated' does not imply the child is at fault, but rather highlights the grim reality of grooming and coercion by online predators. It has urged early education about online dangers for children under six and called for significant protective measures from tech companies.