Internet Watch Foundation

The IWF works with UK service providers to remove potentially illegal child sexual abuse content from the internet.  As a result of work by the IWF Internet Content Analysts processing reports of potentially illegal online content, the IWF produces a list of URLs containing potentially illegal child sexual abuse content hosted overseas. This unique list is made available to IWF members under licence so that they can develop technical solutions to prevent their users from being inadvertently exposed to this type of content.

 

The list is dynamic - updated twice a day - and typically, 50 ‘live’ URLs with potentially illegal child sexual abuse content are added each day. As the URLs are precise websites or web pages, the risk of over-blocking or collateral damage is minimised. The list only contains URLs of websites and does not extend to other internet services, such as peer-2-peer networks, instant messaging or chat room activities. It should also be noted that the list is only populated with URLs that the IWF are aware of.

 

The IWF operates a right of appeal whereby the website owner of any URL can challenge the website’s inclusion on the list.

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator. It is an internet address (for example, http://www.iwf.org.uk/reporting), usually consisting of the access protocol (e.g. http), the domain name (e.g. www.iwf.org.uk), and optionally, the path to a file or resource residing on that server (e.g. reporting). The URLs contained in the IWF list may be addresses for an individual webpage or a whole website.

What is the criterion for a URL to be added to the list?
The sites are assessed according to UK law, specifically the Protection of Children Act 1978. Any URL added to the list contains potentially illegal child sexual abuse content that would be an offence to download (make) in the UK. This includes pay-to-view websites as well as sites where potentially illegal child sexual abuse images are swapped and traded.

 

These URLs contain potentially illegal child sexual abuse content only and do not include potentially illegal incitement to racial hatred content. The child sexual abuse content may also be considered ‘obscene’ under UK law, but this is not the basis for the assessment and inclusion on the list.

The IWF is a non-statutory organisation in the UK operating an internet ‘Hotline’ for the public and IT professionals to report their exposure to potentially illegal child sexual abuse content online.

 

We are recognised as a self-regulatory body supported by the police and the Government and we work in partnership with the wider online industry to combat potentially illegal child sexual abuse content on the internet. We refer to content or URLs as potentially illegal because a definitive legal judgement is a matter for the Courts.

 

Reports made to the IWF in line with its procedures will be accepted as a report to a relevant authority, the only non-statutory organisation so recognised, and can be referred to in a criminal prosecution.

 

The URLs are assessed according to UK law, an expert process reinforced by reciprocal police training with each image being categorised in line with criteria set out by the UK Sentencing Advisory Council. Details of every URL with child sexual abuse content are passed with accompanying intelligence to our law enforcement and ‘Hotline’ associates around the world, for further investigation and action.

 

The IWF status as a relevant authority as regards reporting, handling and combating child sexual abuse images on the internet has been recognised in the Memorandum of Understanding between the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) concerning Section 46 Sexual Offences Act 2003. http://www.iwf.org.uk/police/page.22.213.htm   

Despite the IWF’s success in combating potentially illegal child sexual abuse content hosted in the UK, potentially illegal sexually abusive images of children continue to be hosted in other countries around the world.

 

To protect UK internet users from this content, some UK service providers have voluntarily agreed to use the IWF list to restrict access by their customers to this content. By regularly taking the IWF list and using it to implement such technical solutions, it is possible to:

 

Under the Protection of Children Act 1978, it is an offence to take, make, permit to be taken, distribute, show, possess with intent to distribute, or advertise indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children under the age of 18.

 

The ‘making’ of such images includes downloading, that is, making a copy of a child sexual abuse image on a computer, so, in the UK, accessing such content online is a serious criminal offence, attracting a possible jail term of up to 10 years. This includes the temporary copies of images made on a computer when viewing a webpage.

 

For more information on laws relevant to the IWF’s work, see http://www.iwf.org.uk/police/page.22.htm  

 

Vernon Coaker MP was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Policing, Security and Community Safety in May 2006. Since then, he has spoken widely on the Government’s position and expectations with regard to child sexual abuse content on the internet.   The most relevant recent parliamentary questions can be seen at:

http://www.iwf.org.uk/government/page.156.395.htm  and http://www.iwf.org.uk/government/page.156.381.htm

 

Who assesses these images and how are they trained?
The reports received via the IWF internet 'Hotline' are assessed by Internet Content Analysts (ICAs) who have comprehensive and in-depth training on relevant UK legislation by the appropriate UK police personnel. The IWF carefully vet their ICAs and carry out Police & Criminal Records Bureau searches on them.

 

Are the URLs for websites hosted in the UK?
None of the URLs on the list are hosted in the UK because of the notice and takedown procedures that operate. Websites known to the IWF and hosted overseas, which could be viewed in the UK and have been assessed as potentially illegal according to UK legislation, are included in the list.

 

Any UK internet user that knowingly visits any of these sites could commit the criminal offence of downloading or ‘making’ images, irrespective of where the website is hosted in the world. This carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment.

 

Who oversees the operations of the IWF? Who ‘regulates’ the IWF?
All IWF policies are subject to approval by the IWF Board. The systems and processes for managing the URLs that are added to our list are comprehensively inspected and audited by independent external examiners on behalf of the Home Office.

 

Who is entitled to have access to list of potentially illegal URLs?
IWF subscribing members are entitled to secure access to the list subject to a legally binding contract, as are Law Enforcement Agencies and associated Hotlines who are members of INHOPE.

 

Who are IWF Members?
For a full list of members, please see: IWF Members  

 

The IWF takes all reasonable steps to ensure the security of the list data.

 

The IWF provides the list of URLs with potentially illegal child sexual abuse content to its members and to some non-member organisations. This is subject to legally binding licence agreements. The list is supplied to licensed companies over a secure interface.

 

The IWF grants a non-transferable licence to use the list for the licensed use only. The Licensee must ensure that any employees who need to access the list comply with terms agreed. The Licensee agrees not to, at any time, produce, publish, sell, let, lend or otherwise disclose the list. The Licensee also agrees that IWF is the owner of all intellectual property rights associated with the list and that the intellectual property rights shall remain the IWF’s property. The Licensee is also obliged to keep the list confidential and secure.

 

The systems and processes used to compile this list are inspected by independent professionals and are validated as being consistent with best practice.

 

What happens once an illegal URL has been identified?
It is traced to an apparent country of origin. If it is hosted in the UK then the IWF issues a ‘notice and take-down’ order to the relevant ISP and advises the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). If the content is hosted abroad then it passes that information to the relevant hotline in that country, if one exists, and in any event to CEOP for onward transmission to Interpol.

 

Are site ‘owners’ notified that they have been added to this list?
We do not notify site owners that their websites are on our list. If hosted in the UK, we would notify the relevant ISP and police authorities and the website would be taken down.

 

We have an appeals process in place for anyone wishing to request for their website/URL to be removed from the list. We would only remove it if it was proved that it no longer potentially breached the Protection of Children Act.

 

The organisation or companies listed as being supplied with the IWF URL list may receive the list directly from the IWF by virtue of their membership or may receive it through being a subsidiary or customer of a company being supplied directly with the list.

 

An internet service provider (ISP) is a company or organisation that provides access to the internet, internet connectivity and other related services (e.g. hosting websites).

 

Search engines provide web based technology to enable the user to search the internet for information.  Providers use technology to crawl the web and index websites.  The search engine is an interface which allows an internet user to enter a word or words into a search box in order to interrogate the index and return results on the subject they are interested in. Search engines can be accessed via computer, mobile phone, games consoles, television, wireless devices and other handheld devices with access to the internet.

 

A mobile network operator, also known as wireless service provider, wireless carrier, mobile phone operator or cellular company, is a telephone company that provides access and services for mobile phone subscribers.

 

A filtering company provides products or services which facilitate the filtering of internet content, for example, to stop adult content classified as R18 being available to minors in the UK. Filtering companies making use of the IWF list are trying to ensure that those who use their filtering products will be protected from inadvertently accessing websites with child sexual abuse content on the IWF list.

 

If your ISP is on the list then they have agreed to publicise the fact that they are trying to protect their customers from inadvertently accessing any of the URLs contained on the IWF list. Some may have already implemented a blocking solution. If your ISP is not on the list or if you want to confirm whether or not your ISP is already blocking or if you have any questions, please content them directly.

 

There are a number of filtering products which can further protect internet users from accessing illegal and/or inappropriate online content. For further information, please see http://www.iwf.org.uk/public/page.28.htm  Other useful information and organisations regarding online protection, including safe surfing, can be found here http://www.iwf.org.uk/public/page.36.htm  

 

This initiative is one element in a wider effort to combat the making and distribution of images of child sexual abuse via the internet and the activities of determined criminals who exploit internet-based technologies and services to this end. This effort involves a partnership between law enforcement, children’s services, major children’s charities, the judicial system and the UK internet industry.