A new police task force has made almost 40 arrests in its first four weeks amid an almost 20% year-on-year rise in online child abuse offences.
The work of the task force, under the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, has led to 39 arrests since September 1.
Police Scotland recorded 1,036 online child sexual abuse crimes between April and September - an increase of 18.4% on the previous year and 162.1% above the five-year mean.
Those arrested were all male and aged 15 to 76.
A total of 37 of the arrests resulted in the recovery of material relating to online child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Police said dozens of children were identified as being at risk, or potentially at risk, and have now been protected.
Assistant chief constable Judi Heaton, of the major crime unit, said: "Recorded crimes for online offending have risen substantially in line with our determined and recent proactive work to uncover this hidden criminality.
"Online offenders may think they are anonymous and they may not comprehend the terrible, devastating and lifelong impact their actions have on children. But there is no excuse for their actions.
"Online images of child abuse and exploitation are not virtual, they show the very real abuse of a real child."
She added: "We are determined to improve our response, invest in resources and latest technologies, to track down predators and abusers and to make sure they face the full consequences of their actions.
"Tackling online child sexual abuse requires a cross-partnership effort, not only through enforcement but also on deterrence by means of offender programmes.
"We are also working with the National Police Chiefs' Council on ways we can prevent this criminality on a larger scale."
Police Scotland will run the next phase of its online child sexual abuse campaign £GetHelpOrGetCaught next week.
It directs offenders or potential offenders to the Stop It Now! Scotland child protection charity for help to stop or prevent offending.
