reThink Chatbot evaluation

reThink Chatbot evaluation: reducing the number of searches for child sexual abuse material on Pornhub UK.

The reThink chatbot, developed by IWF and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, and deployed by Aylo (formerly Mindgeek), has led to a decrease in the number of searches for child sexual abuse material on Pornhub UK, as found by an independent evaluation led by researchers at the University of Tasmania. The project is the first of its kind to use chatbot technology to intervene when people attempt to search for sexual images of children and aim to help them stop, or not start, offending.

The evaluation found that the warning message and chatbot reduced the total number of searches for criminal child sexual abuse material on Pornhub. Most sessions that triggered the warning message, did not appear to have searched for sexual images of children again. Hundreds of people also clicked through to the Stop It Now website or called the helpline during the trial.

How does the reThink chatbot work?

Aylo maintains a list of more than 28,000 banned terms in multiple languages, which is constantly being updated. When a search uses a banned term, the chatbot appears as a pop-up, along with a warning message. The chatbot warns users about their illegal behaviour and signposts them to Lucy Faithfull Foundation’s Stop It Now service, where they can get help and support to stop their behaviour.

The evaluation found that the chatbot was successful in deterring people from searching for child sexual abuse material on Pornhub. It suggests that chatbots and warning messages may be an effective way of getting people to change their behaviour and preventing them from going down a path which could see them accessing criminal material and, potentially, abusing children themselves as time goes on.