Cybercrime reports fall 33% in Brazil, survey reveals
In 2024, reports of cybercrime were on the wane in Brazil. NGO SaferNet’s National Cybercrime Reporting Center received 100,077 non-repeated occurrences of this type of crime, 50,770 fewer than in 2023—down 33 percent.
Of this total, 52,999 concerned crimes linked to images of child sexual abuse and exploitation, a 26-percent reduction from 2023, when there was an absolute record in the time series that began in 2006.
This drop in complaints, however, does not mean a reduction in crime, said the president of SaferNet, Thiago Tavares.
“The amount has fallen compared to last year, which was the peak of the time series. This figure [for 2024] is the fourth highest in the series—in other words, the fourth highest in 19 years. So the number is down from last year, but if you compare it with other years, it’s still a significant total,” he noted.
Some factors may explain the reduction. One of them, Tavares argued, is the change in the way this content has been posted online.
“They have been circulating less often on the public web [and more often] in closed spaces, like group chats on messaging apps. So if you want to report a group, you have to be a member. And if you’re a member of a group, you’re not going to report it, because you’re interested in its content,” he said.
Another possible explanation is the fact that social networks have been used as bait for illegal content.
“The content is not published directly on social media, but it is a lure. They end up being used to attract users and lead them to these more restricted spaces, where these images circulate freely and are often sold,” Tavares told Agência Brasil.
Hate crimes
Last year also saw a 49 percent drop in reports of hate crimes linked to racism, religious intolerance, xenophobia, neo-Nazism, LGBTphobia, misogyny, and crimes against life. A total of 14,108 reports of this type of crime were made to SaferNet. This was the first election year since 2018 in which the NGO received fewer reports of hate crimes compared to the previous year.
“We were in a streak of highs in hate crimes in elections—especially in general elections, when there is a dispute for the positions of president and also for Congress. In local elections, reports are more dispersed. Historically, in municipal elections, there is a lower incidence of complaints compared to general elections. In municipal elections, this content ends up circulating more locally, usually in WhatsApp group chats,” Tavares explained.
Helpline
Another piece of data released Tuesday (Feb. 11) was the fact that the Helpline—SaferNet’s free help channel—saw a 79 percent surge in calls from people with some kind of mental health problem, including those related to internet use. Throughout the year, 204 such calls were made through this channel, compared to 114 in 2023.
“The Helpline is a guidance channel for victims of violence and cybercrime. We have a chat channel with a team of psychologists. They assist and advise people who are experiencing a situation of imminent risk. Last year, there was an increase in cases related to mental health,” said Tavares. “What we do is guide and welcome these users who are suffering, show them support, and advise them on where they should seek help for that specific situation,” he explained.
Mental health problems ranked third in the number of calls through the Helpline. They were only surpassed by the exposure of intimate images (268 calls) and problems with personal data (246). Fraud, scams, and fake emails came fourth, with 185 incidents, followed by online violence and hate speech, with 130.
Two other major call types last year involved people who said they had problems with online purchases—they rose from 23 the previous year to 63 cases—and people asking for guidance on what to do concerning images of child sexual abuse and exploitation—these had an increase of 14 percent.
The data are being presented today (11) by SaferNet at Safer Internet Day, an event taking place today and tomorrow in São Paulo. Themed “Together for a Better Internet,” Safer Internet Day is celebrated across over 180 countries, mobilizing different sectors of society to promote a safer, more ethical, and more responsible digital environment.
