Internet Watch Foundation

The IWF are pleased to announce that, for the first time ever, the number of online complaints processed by the IWF about potentially illegal content, for the six months ending 30th June 2004, has decreased by nearly 18%, compared to the same period last year.

 

There may some clear reasons for this reduction:

We reported at the beginning of the year, a significant reduction of potentially illegal child abuse content hosted in the UK and Europe.
This demonstrated and reinforced the fact that collaboration between internet hotlines, industry and law enforcement agencies is working. Whilst this is still very much the case and despite these encouraging trends 6 months into 2004, there is still cause for concern. Although the number of reports has decreased by 18%, the actual number of potentially illegal child abuse websites identified by the IWF, has only decreased by 12%, compared to the same period in 2003. This means the content is still very much there, but is harder to find, much less overt and that there is substantially less inadvertent exposure to general internet users.

 

Stuart Hyde, Assistant Chief Constable, ACPO lead for the Protection of Children on the Internet:
“This report highlights the great steps forward that have been made through effective and impactive partnerships between industry, law enforcement and children’s charities. Greater investment is needed, however, to help address the risk predatory peadophiles still pose to our children, in what is still new business for the police.”

 

The majority of potentially illegal content (99%) can still be traced to overseas providers. At the end of 2003 our reports indicated that 55% of potentially illegal content appeared to be hosted in the US, but that this has now dropped to 42.5%. Unfortunately, the reduction in US websites has been offset by a sharp increase in Russian websites up from 23% of all our reports at the end of 2003, to over 31% by July 2004.

Peter Robbins, CEO, IWF:
“It is still relatively early days, but if these trends and reporting patterns continue, then the progressive partnership we have with the internet industry, government, law enforcement agencies and the public is clearly beginning to realise significant benefits to UK consumers, as it means the UK model is effective and preventative. However, we cannot be complacent because if the IWF hotline mechanism and partnerships were not in place then how long would it take to reverse the successes?

 

It is clear there are still many issues around the availability of potentially illegal material, especially child abuse images. Despite this material becoming more covert and therefore less exposed to the general public, it is still there. With new technologies and products facilitating internet access emerging all the time, we will continue to work diligently in partnership to face any new challenges head on.”

The recent BT initiative ‘Cleanfeed’ demonstrates industry support for the work of the IWF and reflects the belief in the need to protect consumers and users of internet services.

 

Mike Galvin, Director, Internet Operations, BT Retail:
“Given recent advances in technology, BT looked at what further contribution it could make to protect children and our customers using the Internet. As a result, BT initiated a project to block web internet access for BT Retail customers to illegal child abuse sites, wherever they are in the world.

 

This project would not have been possible without the close cooperation of the Internet Watch Foundation and the Home Office. Both gave full commitment and support to the project. In particular the production of robust and authoritative intelligence on the location of these sites by the IWF is at the core of BT's initiative.

 

It demonstrates what can be achieved on major areas of child protection and policy on criminal content by the industry working together. BT sees the IWF's role as essential to the UK internet industry and acknowledges the excellent progress in tackling illegal content, in the UK and abroad."

 

As the number of people using the internet and the diversity of content available continues to grow, the mechanisms of dealing with potentially illegal content must be better known and understood. In partnership with many organisations, the IWF strives to create continued awareness of the role and purpose of the IWF UK internet hotline and looks to foster trust and reassurance in the internet for current and future users.