News

AI becoming ‘child sexual abuse machine’ adding to ‘dangerous’ record levels of online abuse, IWF warns

AI becoming ‘child sexual abuse machine’ adding to ‘dangerous’ record levels of online abuse, IWF warns

‘Frightening’ 260-fold rise in AI child sexual abuse videos contribute to making 2025 worst year for online abuse in IWF’s 30-year history.

16 January 2026 News
Strong public support for EU child sexual abuse legislation as abuse imagery rockets

Strong public support for EU child sexual abuse legislation as abuse imagery rockets

IWF calls on lawmakers in Germany, Italy and Poland to respect the will of their electorates and pass laws allowing tech companies to detect for child sexual abuse images and videos.

16 January 2026 News
The Internet Watch Foundation celebrates 10-year partnership with NetSupport to keep children safe online

The Internet Watch Foundation celebrates 10-year partnership with NetSupport to keep children safe online

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is delighted to celebrate a decade of partnership with NetSupport.

15 January 2026 News
CheckFirst joins IWF to strengthen efforts against child sexual abuse online

CheckFirst joins IWF to strengthen efforts against child sexual abuse online

The Internet Watch Foundation welcomes CheckFirst as its newest Member, joining the fight to eradicate child sexual abuse images and videos from the internet.

22 December 2025 News
AI nudification app ban and on-device protections for children welcomed following IWF campaign

AI nudification app ban and on-device protections for children welcomed following IWF campaign

The Government’s VAWG Strategy will outline new measures to prevent nudes being sent, received, or shared on teens’ phones.

18 December 2025 News
CameraForensics joins forces with IWF to empower investigations and protect children online

CameraForensics joins forces with IWF to empower investigations and protect children online

Working together to strengthen online investigations, accelerate victim identification and safeguard children worldwide.

17 December 2025 News
“AI child sexual abuse imagery is not a future risk – it is a current and accelerating crisis”

“AI child sexual abuse imagery is not a future risk – it is a current and accelerating crisis”

IWF CEO Kerry Smith calls for complete EU ban of AI abuse content at high-level meeting of global experts in Rome.

20 November 2025 News
AI imagery getting more ‘extreme’ as IWF welcomes new rules allowing thorough testing of AI tools

AI imagery getting more ‘extreme’ as IWF welcomes new rules allowing thorough testing of AI tools

The IWF welcomes new measures to help make sure digital tools are safe as new data shows AI child sexual abuse is still spreading.

12 November 2025 News
High public concern at spread of child sexual abuse images and videos in end-to-end encrypted spaces

High public concern at spread of child sexual abuse images and videos in end-to-end encrypted spaces

More than nine in ten people in the UK say they are concerned at how images and videos of children being sexually abused are shared through end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) messaging services.

10 November 2025 News
MEP visits IWF ahead of vital negotiations in EU Parliament on AI child sexual abuse content

MEP visits IWF ahead of vital negotiations in EU Parliament on AI child sexual abuse content

Dutch MEP Jeroen Lenaers hears about AI harms from experts on the front line of the fight to stop child sexual abuse online.

30 October 2025 News
IWF and child protection partners stand up for the rights of child sexual abuse victims and survivors at Brussels stunt

IWF and child protection partners stand up for the rights of child sexual abuse victims and survivors at Brussels stunt

Coalition urges EU leaders to pass vital child sexual abuse laws

13 October 2025 News
Europe in ‘last chance saloon’ as new paper shows child sexual abuse can be blocked before being shared in E2EE services

Europe in ‘last chance saloon’ as new paper shows child sexual abuse can be blocked before being shared in E2EE services

IWF paper sets out how end-to-end encrypted messaging can be protected from child sexual abuse without breaking encryption.

9 October 2025 News