Our mission
We detect, disrupt, remove, and prevent online child sexual abuse material using our expertise and resources as effectively as possible.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is a technology-led, child protection organisation, making the internet a safer place for children and adults across the world.
We’re a not-for-profit organisation, supported by the internet industry, funding bodies, and the generosity of ordinary people.
We work closely with police, governments and NGOs globally, who trust our work.
Child sexual abuse images and videos are just as much a weapon as a knife. We actively search for this imagery and for the past 27 years, we’ve given people a safe place to report it to us, anonymously, now covering 51 countries.
We assess every report we receive. If it shows the sexual abuse of a child, we make sure the image or video is removed from the internet. To do this effectively, we develop technology-for-good: We provide bespoke services, products and datasets to our industry Members to prevent the imagery from re-appearing and make it harder for offenders to find and share.
We care.
Our work relies on compassionate and resilient staff members, who are highly trained and carefully looked after.
We encourage others to play their part, whether it is reporting to us, funding us, or collaborating on the best technology and research.
The suffering captured in this imagery and the knowledge that it could be shared can haunt a victim for life.
That’s why it’s our mission to remove this material for good. And to show every child there is someone out there who cares enough to help.
Read Our values.
