Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)

Teachers… talking to your students about nudes can be nerve-wracking, let alone awkward. But it’s important that we talk frankly with young people about the dangers of sharing images online – with people they know, and people they don’t. We have resources available for use with secondary-aged students and as part of teacher training programmes. Download them at https://lnkd.in/dKGPr-VB

Children are reporting online sexual extortion attempts in record numbers in the UK, as we received 394 reports from under-18s last year of blackmail attempts after sending sexual images to predators via Report Remove - a 34% more than in 2024. Report Remove is a crucial self reporting tool run in partnership with NSPCC's Childline that allows children to flag intimate images or videos of themselves that have appeared, or could appear, online, to get the content removed. If a child contacts Report Remove and uploads an intimate image of themselves to the service, it then turns those images into a “hash”, or digital fingerprint, which is shared with leading tech platforms, which can take the image down or prevent it from being uploaded. Report Remove does not share the image itself with any tech companies. The true impact of the latest sexual extortion numbers on children’s lives is “difficult to fathom”, says our CEO Kerry Smith, as some unknown victims might not be aware of the Report Remove service and had not come forward. “Criminals are casting their nets wide and are able to corner young people with the most violent and terrifying threats,” said Kerry. “They employ emotional manipulation and use intimidating, aggressive language and threats that escalate rapidly after nudes are taken.” We support calls to make anti-nudity detection technology mandatory on devices. “It is clear to us that if companies won’t do this by themselves, the government must step in to make sure they do,” said our Head of Policy Hannah Swirsky. https://lnkd.in/eSpbpnfc

Every day, our analysts see unidentified child victims. While they work hard to make sure the imagery cannot spread online, they do not always have enough information to identify the children being abused. Here is how one of our world-class analysts, through diligence, determination, and a bit of luck, helped give a name to a previously unknown victim of child sexual abuse – getting her the recognition and support she is entitled to, and giving her the peace of mind that the IWF is working to remove images and videos of her sexual abuse. https://lnkd.in/equyQ-3e

Amy was just three years old when IWF became aware of imagery showing her abuse. Even after she was rescued and safeguarded, that abuse continued to be shared online. In one three-month period alone, IWF assessed and hashed an image of Amy on average three times a day. Her story is a stark reminder that every image is a real child, and every removal matters. Learn more and support our vital work to find, remove and disrupt child sexual abuse material online at https://lnkd.in/d5rNBn3m.

🔎 There is growing concern for how AI can be misused to create and share child sexual abuse material (CSAM), referred to as AI-CSAM. In partnership with National Crime Agency (NCA) CEOP Education we’ve created a resource for professionals working with children and young people to raise awareness about the risks of this emerging technology. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dnkvJCTi #Resource #Professionals #Education #YoungPeople #AI

Our latest report reveals the full scale of AI-generated child sexual abuse images and videos and ‘unsettling’ insight into offender views. In 2025, we identified 8,029 AI-generated images and videos of realistic child sexual abuse – a 14% increase in criminal AI content on the previous year. Our Senior Analyst Natalia [not her real name. IWF analysts’ identities are protected] said, “Every new development in generative AI is extolled for its ability to enhance the realism, to heighten the severity, or make more immersive, any conceivable sexual scenario with a child. This could be through adding audio to video, being able to depict multiple people interacting or even being able to successfully manipulate imagery of a real child known to an offender. “We know this affects victims and survivors, as its creation and distribution is just as keenly felt as with traditional forms of child sexual abuse.” Read more at https://lnkd.in/eQ3KshsB

Our analysts are the unsung heroes in the fight against child sexual abuse online. They are parents, grandparents and compassionate people dedicated to eradicating child sexual abuse imagery online and creating a safer internet for all. Dive into their stories and learn more about their vital work:http://iwf.org.uk/25years.

Child-protection software provider Chirp becomes the latest Member to join IWF to strengthen their child protection provisions in digital spaces. https://chirpfamily.com/ Find out more about becoming a Member and the services the IWF can provide at https://lnkd.in/db-tXCTx

3 weeks to go to the launch of our Annual Data & Insights Report, with key insights into how abuse is created, distributed and monetised - as well as the systemic challenges that make eradication difficult. The report also identifies persistent and emerging harms and explains how we work with our partners to disrupt these systems and reduce harm to children.

Whether it's a 5K, a marathon, a mud run or a charity cycle, our incredible fundraising heroes lace up their trainers and go the distance to help us find and remove child sexual abuse imagery online. Every pound raised helps train our analysts, fund their specialist welfare, and keep our Hotline running. Want to turn your next sporting challenge into something extraordinary? 🏃 Browse 750+ events 🎽 We'll support you every step of the way & send you a free IWF t-shirt 💷 Set up your JustGiving page and start fundraising today. Visit https://lnkd.in/evu-xYg3.