COVID-19 coronavirus announcement

Published:  Mon 16 Mar 2020

As an additional precaution against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) will be operating at a reduced capacity.

The IWF continues to work as usual but, with many staff now working remotely, there may be delays in responding.

We will be replying to emails and returning calls where possible, but please be prepared for some delays in communication.

Thank you for your understanding during this period. 

Members of the public can still report child sexual abuse material on the internet as normal viathe IWF's online reporting page. 

UK Alliance Tackling Online CSEA (UK ATOC) response to the UK social media ban

UK Alliance Tackling Online CSEA (UK ATOC) response to the UK social media ban

Read the UK Alliance Tackling Online CSEA’s response to the under-16 social media ban, including what else is needed to keep children safe online.

1 July 2026 Statement
IWF welcomes political agreement on recast of EU Directive on child sexual abuse

IWF welcomes political agreement on recast of EU Directive on child sexual abuse

New EU legislation closes critical gaps to criminalise AI-generated abuse material and strengthen survivor protections.

23 June 2026 Statement
EU failure on temporary derogation puts children at risk

EU failure on temporary derogation puts children at risk

The legal protections that allow companies in the EU to voluntarily detect, find, and remove child sexual abuse material on their platforms are about to expire, as legislative negotiations grind to a halt.

17 March 2026 Statement