IWF in the News

AI tools have put child sexual abuse ‘on steroids’, Home Secretary warns

AI tools have put child sexual abuse ‘on steroids’, Home Secretary warns

The Home Office said fake images are being used to blackmail children and force them to livestream further abuse.

2 February 2025 IWF In The News
UK makes use of AI tools to create child abuse material a crime

UK makes use of AI tools to create child abuse material a crime

Britain will make it illegal to use artificial intelligence tools that create child sexual abuse images.

1 February 2025 IWF In The News
Charity finds more than 500,000 child abuse victims

Charity finds more than 500,000 child abuse victims

An analyst who removes child sexual abuse content from the internet says she is always trying to stay "one step ahead" of the "bad guys".

8 December 2024 IWF In The News
Telegram plans child abuse crackdown following Pavel Durov’s arrest in Paris

Telegram plans child abuse crackdown following Pavel Durov’s arrest in Paris

Messaging app Telegram will deploy new tools to prevent the spread of images of child sexual abuse after teaming up with the Internet Watch Foundation.

5 December 2024 IWF In The News
Telegram U-turns and joins child safety scheme

Telegram U-turns and joins child safety scheme

After years of ignoring pleas to sign up to child protection schemes, the controversial messaging app Telegram has agreed to work with an internationally recognised body to stop the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

4 December 2024 IWF In The News
Paedophile Hugh Nelson who made AI child abuse images from real pictures sent to him jailed for 18 years in 'deeply horrifying' landmark case

Paedophile Hugh Nelson who made AI child abuse images from real pictures sent to him jailed for 18 years in 'deeply horrifying' landmark case

The images that Nelson made have been linked back to real children around the world. In some cases, he then went on to encourage his clients to rape and sexually assault the youngsters.

28 October 2024 IWF In The News
AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery reaching ‘tipping point’, says watchdog

AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery reaching ‘tipping point’, says watchdog

Internet Watch Foundation says illegal AI-made content is becoming more prevalent on open web with high level of sophistication.

18 October 2024 IWF In The News
How AI is worsening the dark world of child sex abuse imagery

How AI is worsening the dark world of child sex abuse imagery

The amount of AI-generated child sexual abuse content is “chilling” and reaching a “tipping point”, according to the Internet Watch Foundation.

18 October 2024 IWF In The News
Telegram ignored outreach from child safety watchdogs before CEO's arrest, groups say

Telegram ignored outreach from child safety watchdogs before CEO's arrest, groups say

Telegram’s CEO was arrested in relation to an investigation into an unnamed person involving claims of “complicity” in distributing child sexual abuse material.

28 August 2024 IWF In The News
How can children be protected from online sextortion fraud?

How can children be protected from online sextortion fraud?

Criminals are tricking young people into sending intimate images, then demanding money. Experts explain how to deal with these attacks.

22 August 2024 IWF In The News
West African gangs who blackmail teenagers over nude images could be extradited to UK

West African gangs who blackmail teenagers over nude images could be extradited to UK

The cyber criminals dupe victims into sending nude images and then extort them.

22 August 2024 IWF In The News
How the sending of one photo led an 11-year-old girl to become a victim of physical sex abuse

How the sending of one photo led an 11-year-old girl to become a victim of physical sex abuse

The girl sent a photo to a boy in her class before the image and her phone number were added to all-male online chat groups - she later started disappearing before being abused by "unknown men".

23 July 2024 IWF In The News