Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas, USA, Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A21, a global organization working to end human trafficking, will premiere Seen, a new short film addressing the growing threat of online child sexual exploitation, during the 2026 Global Freedom Summit this October. The film is the newest installment of A21’s award-winning Can You See Me? campaign.
Can You See Me? is A21’s global awareness campaign designed to help people recognize the signs of human trafficking, understand how exploitation can occur in their communities, and know how to respond and report concerns. To date, the campaign has reached hundreds of millions of people worldwide through locally relevant stories, public awareness initiatives, and real-world indicators of exploitation.
As children spend an increasing amount of their lives in digital environments, understanding the risks of online exploitation and knowing how to recognize and respond to them has become increasingly important. According to a UNICEF report, an estimated one in every three internet users is a child. (1) Millions of children are exploited annually (2), and hundreds of thousands of predators lurk on online platforms daily. (3)
Unlike forms of exploitation that require physical proximity, online exploitation can happen remotely through social media, gaming platforms, messaging applications, livestreaming services, and other digital environments. Perpetrators can build trust and manipulate children from behind a screen, often without the knowledge of parents, caregivers, teachers, or other adults in a child’s life.
Seen brings this hidden form of exploitation into focus, revealing how quickly seemingly ordinary digital interactions can become a pathway to exploitation and challenging viewers to recognize what may otherwise go unnoticed.
“Online child sexual exploitation is a rapidly evolving threat, and understanding how it occurs is essential to prevention,” said Nick Caine, CEO of A21. “Technology has changed how children communicate and interact with the world, and it has also changed the ways perpetrators can target them. Through the Global Freedom Summit, we are bringing together experts, survivors, and communities to increase awareness, identify warning signs, and provide practical tools that can help protect children.”
The Global Freedom Summit launched in 2025, reaching an estimated 319,000+ people across more than 101 nations in its inaugural year. The 2026 Summit will focus on the growing threat of online child sexual exploitation, bringing together A21 frontline experts, survivors, and leaders from organizations including the FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, and UK Home Office to examine emerging threats and equip communities to respond.
The 2026 Global Freedom Summit will premiere online on October 1 at 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. CDT. Viewers can watch the content on-demand by registering at: A21.org/Summit. The one-hour event will explore:
- Emerging trends and statistics related to online child sexual exploitation
- Red flags and warning signs associated with online grooming and exploitation
- Strategies for helping children navigate digital environments
- Actions individuals and communities can take to help prevent exploitation and strengthen child safety
By bringing together frontline expertise, survivor perspectives, and practical resources, the 2026 Global Freedom Summit aims to help the public better understand online child sexual exploitation and recognize the role each person can play in creating safer digital environments for children.
A21 is grateful to Jockey International for their generous investment in this resource and their shared commitment to seeing children safeguarded and protected around the world.
To learn more about the Global Freedom Summit and register to watch, visit A21.org/Summit.
About A21: Since 2008, A21 has been on a mission to abolish slavery everywhere, forever. Fueled by radical hope and an unshakable belief in freedom for all, we work across the globe to break the cycle of human trafficking. A21’s efforts have reached billions of people through prevention and awareness initiatives, identified and assisted victims across the globe trapped in exploitation, and walked alongside thousands of survivors on their journey to healing, restoration, and lasting freedom. To learn more about A21’s work and discover how you can join the fight for freedom, visit A21.org or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or X.
About Can You See Me?: Through powerful storytelling, public awareness, and partnerships with law enforcement, governments, businesses, NGOs, and communities, Can You See Me? brings human trafficking into public conversation, equips people to recognize and respond to the signs of exploitation, and helps connect victims and those at risk with pathways to safety and support. Learn more about the campaign at A21.org/CanYouSeeMe.
Press Assets: Videos: Full Film, Trailer | Website: Can You See Me?
Sources:
1. UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. (2021). Investigating risks and opportunities for children in a digital world: A rapid review of the evidence. https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/media/5621/file/UNICEF-Investigating-Risks-Opportunities-Children-Digital-World-2021.pdf
2. Childlight Global Child Safety Institute. (2024). Into the light index: Global estimates of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. https://www.childlight.org/uploads/publications/Annual_Report_2024.pdf
3. Child Crime Prevention & Safety Center. (2026). Online predator statistics. https://childsafety.losangelescriminallawyer.pro/children-and-grooming-online-predators.html
Attachments
Robin Seitz A21 9492024681 media@a21.org
