Episode 1: Encryption Vs. Privacy
In conversation with Professor Hany Farid and IWF Head of Policy & Public Affairs Mike Tunks
“The introduction of end-to-end encryption technologies has led to a debate around the apparent dichotomy of good child safety and good general user privacy and security,” reads a new report by Dr Ian Levy and Crispin Robinson, respectively the technical heads of the UK’s National Cybersecurity Centre and GCHQ. The report made headlines last week after suggesting tech companies should move ahead with technology that scans for child abuse imagery essentially on users’ phones themselves.
Speaking exclusively to the IWF as part of our new podcast series, Professor Hany Farid, image analysis expert at the University of California, Berkeley, said the report made it clear that privacy does not have to come at the expense of child protection.
Our new podcast series offers quick dives into topical issues related to the global fight against online child sexual abuse images and videos and issues affecting child safety online.
Episode 2: The hidden crimes in our children’s bedrooms
In Conversation with IWF Senior Analyst, Rosa
Data released by the IWF shows that almost 20,000 webpages identified by our team in the first half of 2022 included 'self-generated' child sexual abuse imagery of 7-to-10-year-old children - a 360% increase on the first half of 2020 when the UK entered its first Covid lockdown.
The rapid growth of this material, showing primary-aged children, is a social and digital emergency, which needs a focussed and sustained effort to combat it from the Government, tech industry, law enforcement, education and non-profit organisations.
In this episode, we talk to Rosa, one of our world-class analysts, about the actual images and videos the team see every day and what is happening to children in our homes.
Parents and carers are encouraged to T.A.L.K to their children about online dangers. Visit talk.iwf.org.uk for a parent-and-carer-friendly guide to preventing this type of abuse.
Our new podcast series offers quick dives into topical issues related to the global fight against online child sexual abuse images and videos and issues affecting child safety online.
Episode 3: Join our Hotline Team
In Conversation with IWF Internet Content Analysts
Protecting children is at the heart of everything we do. Our team of expert analysts do one of the most difficult, yet crucial, jobs in the world - searching for and seeking the removal of online child sexual abuse imagery.
It’s a tough job. Our Analysts are amongst the best in the world. The children in the pictures are real. Their abuse and suffering is very real. Our experts never forget that.
We talk to our Analysts Emilia, Mabel and Peter about their everyday work and the impact it has in the lives of many children worldwide in our latest episode.
Wondering if you could do this job too? If you have a good heart and an analytical mind we want to hear from you. Find out more about job roles and how to apply at iwf.org.uk/careers
Episode 4: Disturbing New Trend
In Conversation With IWF Hotline Manager Tamsin McNally
Our analysts in the Hotline have discovered a disturbing new trend, what they’ve called iCAP sites or “invite child abuse pyramid” sites. These sites encourage users to share links to criminal child sexual abuse material, spamming social media platforms with them and increasing the risk of accidental exposure to this content by the public.
Our Hotline Manager Tamsin McNally shares more details about this trend and warns people to not click on links coming from unknown sources.
Tamsin McNally, Hotline Manager at the IWF, said: “We see the worst of the worst when it comes to child sexual abuse images online. We see images, videos, websites dedicated to hosting and selling this kind of material and websites that attempt to disguise this material. However this new trend is something very different. We call them iCap sites and is not something we’ve seen before.”
Episode 5: Nowhere to hide?
In Conversation With IWF Chief Technical Officer Dan Sexton and IWF Head of Policy and Public Affairs Michael Tunks
This episode looks at how end-to-end encryption technology works and how its introduction to messaging apps could hinder detection of child sexual abuse imagery.
Speaking on the podcast, our Chief Technical Officer Dan Sexton, said: “It is very concerning for the IWF. Our mission, our vision, is a safer internet for all, and that the internet is free of child sexual abuse material. When a child reports content of themselves to us, we want to be able to say to those children, to those victims, that their content will be found, and it will be blocked across the internet. Right now, we can’t do that with end-to-end encrypted services. That is very concerning for us, and very concerning for those children.”
Episode 6: What next for online safety laws?
In Conversation With IWF Head of Policy and Public Affairs Mike Tunks, and Natalia Greene, Principal Consultant in PA Consulting's Vulnerabilities account
As the Online Safety Bill becomes the Online Safety Act, the Internet Watch Foundation looks at what is next.
In this podcast, children’s online safety expert Natalia Greene and IWF Head of Policy and Public Affairs Mike Tunks explain this landmark piece of legislation and the effect it may have on all our lives.
