Published: Tue 8 Nov 2022
Software developer Fastvue is joining forces with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in the fight to stop sexual abuse content of children online.
Headquartered in Australia, Fastvue helps businesses and schools around the world to monitor internet usage and provide insight into how their networks are being used.
As a new Member, Fastvue now has access to the IWF’s unique Keyword List, a valuable tool designed to find obscure words and phrases used by child abusers to hide child sexual abuse imagery on the internet.
Members use the Keyword List to block or stop someone from accessing this child sexual abuse content, preventing survivors from being victimised once again every time their image is distributed or viewed.
The IWF Hotline is one of the only hotlines in the world which can actively search for criminal images and videos, so the Keyword List is updated regularly as Hotline analysts find new words and codes while working to remove online child sexual abuse material.
Scott Glew, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Fastvue, said: “The Internet Watch Foundation provides the critical service of detecting and eliminating online child sexual abuse imagery and has amassed thousands of words commonly used by perpetrators.
“Fastvue is proud to partner with the IWF to detect web searches and online content involving child exploitation material within organisations, notifying the right people if and when they occur.”
Susie Hargreaves OBE, Chief Executive of the IWF, said: “Last year we found and removed more than 250,000 websites containing imagery of children being sexually abused. As each site contains at least one, and sometimes thousands of images, this equates to millions of criminal images and videos.
“Our Keyword List and the other services that we provide to Members are vital weapons in the battle to stamp out these horrendous levels of child sexual abuse on the internet.
“Partnering with tech organisations like Fastvue helps us to protect children from online predators and it is essential that businesses and schools have the tools to protect their staff and pupils online too.”
Find out more about becoming a Member and the services the IWF can provide here.
The IWF and NSPCC say tech platforms must do more to protect children online as confirmed sextortion cases soar.
A major 18-month trial project has demonstrated a first-of-its-kind chatbot and warning message can reduce the number of online searches that may potentially be indicative of intent to find sexual images of children.
