Resolver publishes new report on hybrid online threat targeting children globally

Report draws on multi-year investigations to analyse decentralised harm ecosystems and inform coordinated safety responses.

LEEDS, UNITED KINGDOM, January 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Resolver has published a new public-interest research report examining a highly complex and persistent ecosystem of online harm, commonly referred to as ‘the Com’. Drawing on multiple years of intelligence work, the report analyses how fragmented online cultures and overlapping behaviours can escalate into harm for children and young people, with implications for regulators, platforms and those responsible for governance and safety.

When examined as a decentralised ecosystem rather than a series of isolated incidents, these often-networked threat actors operate across multiple platforms and jurisdictions and evolve rapidly over time. Their decentralised structure frequently evades the design and operational capacity of existing detection, moderation and enforcement models, resulting in sustained gaps in protection.

These gaps increase the likelihood of exploitation at scale and highlight the need for earlier signal recognition and more coordinated policy, regulatory and safeguarding alignment at both national and international levels.

The report introduces an approach for analysing hybrid threats that combine elements of sadistic exploitation, violent extremism and financially motivated cybercrime. The report maps behavioural poles and escalation pathways at a systems level to support earlier risk detection, more consistent decision-making and harm reduction across platforms, regulators and safeguarding organisations. It is designed to help practitioners identify patterns without amplifying harm or enabling replication.

Resolver developed the report through multi-jurisdictional intelligence work and consultation with external experts across child protection, online safety and harm prevention.

‘This report reflects years of investigative work into one of the most complex harm ecosystems we see today,’ said George Vlasto, Head of Resolver’s Trust & Safety division. ‘Our objective is to provide clear, intelligence-led insight that supports regulators, policymakers and technology companies in strengthening systemic responses to evolving online harms.’

All examples included in the report are composite and anonymised. The research avoids naming platforms, sharing operational detail or publishing material that could enable misuse. These safeguards are intentional and reflect Resolver’s commitment to responsible disclosure and harm minimisation. The analysis prioritises how harmful behaviours emerge, replicate, and proliferate across interconnected spaces. It intentionally frames these harms as a multi-platform ecosystem defined by recurring behaviours and subgroup dynamics, not activity confined to any single platform.

The findings also highlight the need for coordinated action across governments, platforms and civil society, given the cross-border and multi-domain nature of these harms.

‘Children face increasingly hybrid and transnational risks online, and no single actor can address them in isolation,’ said Kam Rawal, President of Resolver. ‘This research is intended to support governments, regulators, platforms and civil society organisations as they assess gaps in existing approaches and develop more coordinated, intelligence-based responses.’

Resolver will continue to publish research and assessments to advance intelligence-led approaches to evolving and hybrid online harms. Building on over two decades of online safety expertise, this includes an ongoing commitment to developing tools and partnerships which combat child sexual abuse material, reinforcing Resolver’s role as a trusted partner in safeguarding online ecosystems worldwide.

Access the full report at www.resolver.com/com-report

About Resolver Trust & Safety
Resolver’s Trust and Safety division draws on 20 years of online safety expertise and intelligence-led analysis to investigate how harmful behaviour emerges, spreads, and escalates across digital environments. We work with global technology platforms, regulators, and NGOs to identify emerging online harms, support detection efforts, and inform evidence-based policy and safeguarding responses. Our mission is to provide clear, actionable insight that helps organisations understand complex harm ecosystems and strengthen protection for vulnerable users. Resolver, a Kroll business, is a global leader in risk intelligence solutions, supporting more than 1,000 companies worldwide. Learn more at www.resolver.com

Chloe Acland
Resolver Inc.
mediarelations@kroll.com
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