New social media platform developer Netiqet Labs joins IWF membership

Internet Watch Foundation’s (IWF) newest Member is Netiqet Labs Ltd.

Netiqet Labs is a start-up company which is developing Hushkeys, a new break-through social media platform that offers a unique take on privacy, exclusivity and playfulness. Based in London, Netiqet joined IWF’s global fight against online child sexual abuse imagery and will now implement IWF’s Keywords and Image Hash List into their services.

IWF’s Keywords List is a list of cryptic terms - like letters and numbers - associated with child sexual abuse content and criminally obscene content online. IWF’s Image Hash List is a list of unique codes – like digital fingerprints – that relate to individual child sexual abuse images. By using both services, Netiqet will keep their users safe from stumbling across criminal imagery on their platforms.

Rich Land, Netiqet Labs’ CPO, said: “We are very pleased to be joining the IWF as a member. We do not condone any form of abuse on our platform, particularly when it affects children. Social media is a fantastic tool that enables humans to interact at an unprecedented scale. Unfortunately, as with each form of progress or innovation serious cases of misuses can develop. Consequently we are delighted to be able to work with the IWF to reduce this kind of behaviour on our platform.”

Susie Hargreaves OBE, IWF CEO, said: “A very warm welcome to our newest Member Netiqet Labs. Promoting a safe and secure internet for all is at the core of our work, and I’m glad to see more and more social media platforms joining us in our fight against child sexual abuse images online. Last year, 1% of the images we removed were hosted on social media platforms. We think this is still 1% too many. I’m glad to welcome Netiqet Labs to our growing membership base and I’m looking forward to our partnership”

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Notes to editors:

Contact: Emma Hardy, IWF Director of External Relations +44 (0) 1223 203030 or +44 (0) 7929 553679.

What we do:

We make the internet a safer place. We help victims of child sexual abuse worldwide by identifying and removing online images and videos of their abuse. We search for child sexual abuse images and videos and offer a place for the public to report them anonymously. We then have them removed. We’re a not for profit organisation and are supported by the global internet industry and the European Commission.

For more information please visit www.iwf.org.uk.

The IWF is part of the UK Safer Internet Centre, working with Childnet International and the South West Grid for Learning to promote the safe and responsible use of technology.