The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow unveiled a renewed international effort on Thursday to combat online child exploitation.
The initiative brings together government officials, law enforcement leaders, and anti-trafficking advocates to strengthen cross-border cooperation against predators.
Tebow warned that the threat of child exploitation is not limited to foreign countries or obscure parts of the internet. He stressed that it is happening in local communities across the United States.
The event highlighted how the U.S. is coordinating with other nations to rescue exploited children, dismantle trafficking networks, and prosecute offenders. Officials pointed to recent international operations, new congressional funding, and a U.S.-led resolution targeting online sextortion.
The ambassador emphasized that child exploitation criminals operate across borders, making a global response essential. He called for closer collaboration between governments and civil society to protect children from predators.
Tebow urged parents to treat unprotected online access with the same concern as leaving a child in a dangerous public space. He encouraged the use of safety tools and active monitoring of children's digital activity.
He described a constant presence of predators seeking vulnerabilities to exploit, lure, groom, and sextort young victims. Tebow called the abuse of children online one of the worst evils in the world.
During the event, Tebow argued that the response to child exploitation must match the global scale of the threat. He said no child should be invisible and no predator should be able to hide.
When asked whether some countries refuse to cooperate with U.S. investigations, the ambassador said the bigger issue is a lack of legal and investigative capacity. Many nations lack laws criminalizing the acts, extradition treaties, and trained prosecutors or investigators.
U.S. agencies and international partners are working to build those capabilities through training and cooperation. The ambassador also noted the link between migration and trafficking, with vulnerable girls often exploited along migration routes.
Tebow said investigators face major challenges identifying victims because offenders deliberately avoid detection. He praised victim identification specialists who work to locate victims and bring offenders to justice.
The collaboration is designed to expand cross-border efforts through coordinated investigations, technology sharing, and stronger international partnerships.
