New Internet Watch Foundation data reveals a sharp rise in commercial child sexual abuse websites, with criminal gangs monetising children’s exploitation through subscription models and digital payments. The charity warns of systemic failures across online platforms, financial services and encrypted technologies that allow abuse to flourish. As reports of sexual extortion surge, particularly targeting boys, the IWF calls for stronger regulation of payment systems, encryption safeguards and decisive government action to disrupt the online economy of child sexual exploitation.
Discover how IWF collaborates globally to eradicate online child sexual abuse, focusing on innovation, partnerships and safeguarding efforts.
The Internet Watch Foundation scooped a top prize at the 2023 National Technology Awards.
Our reputation as a leader in online child protection and as a progressive employer has been recognised with many awards over the years.
Information from IWF on how we handle the privacy of stakeholder data and information.
It is IWF policy to make every effort to protect our information assets from threats – whether they be internal or external, deliberate or accidental.
IWF CEO Kerry Smith welcomes TikTok’s decision to prioritise child protection over end‑to‑end encryption.
On 3 April, essential child protection systems used by technology companies to detect and remove online child sexual abuse material will become illegal to operate in the EU unless the European Parliament votes to extend the current legal framework. A temporary law allowing voluntary detection is expiring, and political deadlock has stalled a permanent solution. This will create a dangerous legal vacuum that perpetrators are aware of and poised to exploit. Proven tools like hash‑matching - which do not compromise privacy - would be forced offline, enabling millions of known abusive images to resurface. Research shows these systems deter offenders and make access harder; disabling them will reverse this progress. MEPs have one final chance to act by voting for an amendment that preserves protections for children across Europe.
The Age Appropriate Design Code sets out 15 standards that online services need to follow.
IWF and Cyber safety technology company, White Bullet, announce their collaboration to stop the monetisation of child sexual abuse images and videos through digital advertising.