dns joins IWF in fight against criminal online content
3 August 2009Information security company, dns (www.dns.co.uk), has become a member of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
Through its membership dns is supporting the UK self-regulatory, partnership approach to combating criminal online content, specifically child sexual abuse images hosted worldwide, criminally obscene content and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK.
IWF is the UK internet ‘Hotline’ and notice and take-down body for content within its remit and has reduced UK hosted child sexual abuse content to less than 1% from 18% in 1997. Through working closely with the online sector, law enforcement, the government and the public, we aim to foster trust and confidence in the internet among current and future users; assist service providers in combating the abuse of their systems and assist law enforcement in the fight against online illegal content.
Peter Robbins OBE, QPM, Chief Executive of the IWF, said: Self-regulation is at the core of the IWF’s model, operations and success. It is the support of our industry members which means we can continue to disrupt illegal online content hosted in the UK and, through our international partnerships, around the world. We are therefore delighted to welcome dns as a member and look forward to working with them to protect internet users and promote a safer online experience.”
Graeme Cox, CEO, dns, said: “The IWF is doing such an amazing job protecting the online community that we were thrilled to join it in the fight against illegal content. With dedicated teams at dns working 24/7, constantly looking at threats and illegal online activity, it was simply a natural progression for us to work more closely with an organisation like the IWF.”
Peter Robbins OBE, QPM, Chief Executive of the IWF, said: Self-regulation is at the core of the IWF’s model, operations and success. It is the support of our industry members which means we can continue to disrupt illegal online content hosted in the UK and, through our international partnerships, around the world. We are therefore delighted to welcome dns as a member and look forward to working with them to protect internet users and promote a safer online experience.”
Graeme Cox, CEO, dns, said: “The IWF is doing such an amazing job protecting the online community that we were thrilled to join it in the fight against illegal content. With dedicated teams at dns working 24/7, constantly looking at threats and illegal online activity, it was simply a natural progression for us to work more closely with an organisation like the IWF.”
-ENDS-
About dns
dns is a leading provider of information security services. Headquartered in Scotland, with offices in London and operating throughout the UK and Europe, dns provides security services across the full security lifecycle. Founded in 1999 the company has grown rapidly and effectively and is the only UK based company offering a full managed security services suite. The dns vision is to be the leading niche provider of quality information security solutions and services in the UK. For more information visit: www.dns.co.uk
dns is a leading provider of information security services. Headquartered in Scotland, with offices in London and operating throughout the UK and Europe, dns provides security services across the full security lifecycle. Founded in 1999 the company has grown rapidly and effectively and is the only UK based company offering a full managed security services suite. The dns vision is to be the leading niche provider of quality information security solutions and services in the UK. For more information visit: www.dns.co.uk
Press contacts:
Ryan Whelan and Andrew Chatterton
Johnson King PR
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7401 7968
dnsteam@johnsonking.co.uk
Ryan Whelan and Andrew Chatterton
Johnson King PR
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7401 7968
dnsteam@johnsonking.co.uk
About the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
IWF is the UK’s internet ‘Hotline’ for the public and IT professionals to report potentially illegal online content within our remit. We work in partnership with the online industry, law enforcement, government, the education sector, charities, international partners and the public to minimise the availability of this content, specifically, child sexual abuse content hosted anywhere in the world and criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK.
We are an independent self-regulatory body, funded by the EU and the wider online industry, including internet service providers, mobile operators and manufacturers, content service providers, filtering companies, search providers, trade associations and the financial sector as well as other organisations that support us for corporate social responsibility reasons.
We work with UK government to influence initiatives developed to combat online abuse and this dialogue goes beyond the UK and Europe to ensure greater awareness of global issues, trends and responsibilities. We work internationally with INHOPE and other relevant authorities and organisations to encourage wider adoption of good practice in combating online child sexual abuse content and to promote inclusive and united global responses to this dynamic, cross-border criminality.
We help internet service providers and hosting companies to combat abuse of their networks through our national ‘notice and take-down’ service which alerts them to potentially illegal content within our remit on their systems and we provide unique data to law enforcement partners in the UK and abroad to assist investigations into the distributers of potentially illegal online content. As a result of this partnership approach, less than 1% of child sexual abuse content, known to the IWF, has apparently been hosted in the UK since 2003, down from 18% in 1997. As sexually abusive images of children are primarily hosted abroad, we facilitate the industry-led initiative to protect users from inadvertent exposure to this content by blocking access to it through our provision of a dynamic list of child sexual abuse URLs.
We strive to create continued awareness of the role and purpose of the IWF and aim to foster trust and reassurance in the internet for current and future users. Our self-regulatory partnership approach is widely recognised as an effective model in combating the abuse of technology for the dissemination of illegal content.
Please note that "child pornography", "child porn" and "kiddie porn" are not acceptable terms. The use of such language acts to legitimise images which are not pornography, rather, they are permanent records of children being sexually abused and as such should be referred to as child sexual abuse images.
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 237700
media@iwf.org.uk
