Sensitive target group survey on a taboo topic
Cybergrooming — the targeted initiation of sexual contacts by adults with minors online — is a social problem whose extent has been insufficiently researched so far. The challenge was to create a representative database that shows both the incidence and the specific patterns of this digital threat. This involved interviewing a particularly sensitive target group — children and adolescents aged 8 to 17 — about a highly sensitive topic.
Methodological expertise for ethically correct collection
In January 2025, the representative online survey with 2,041 children and adolescents was conducted by KB&B for the fifth time. The questionnaire was developed taking into account developmental psychological and ethical standards in order to both generate meaningful data and protect respondents. The standardized procedure enabled comparable evaluations over time and created a solid empirical basis for prevention measures.
The survey systematically covered various dimensions of the phenomenon: frequency and forms of cybergrooming, platforms and contact strategies used by perpetrators, reactions of those affected and their requests for offers of help.
Alarming results with societal relevance
The study results revealed the appalling extent of the digital risk: 35 percent of adolescents and 16 percent of children have experienced at least one form of cybergrooming. It is particularly worrying that 9 percent of children under 14 have already been asked to meet with an adult.
The study identified Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok as the most common platforms for cybergrooming attempts. Perpetrators often pretend to be their peers, photographers, or talent scouts in order to build trust. A quarter of those affected were also victims of sextortion — extortion involving intimate content.
Media response and social impact
The study results received exceptional media feedback and were taken up in leading news media such as WDR, NDR, FAZ, Süddeutsche Zeitung and ZEIT Online. This broad coverage made a significant contribution to raising awareness of the issue and initiating political and social discussions.
