The IWF’s latest AI report exposes rapidly escalating harms to children as the EU moves to scale back the tools that detect and remove child sexual abuse material online. The charity warns that the EU must act urgently to criminalise AI‑generated abuse and preserve essential detection systems before risks intensify further.
AI is becoming more powerful by the day, and the challenge of keeping children safe is growing with it.
We would not expect children to protect themselves from sexual abuse in schools, clubs or youth organisations so why would we adopt such an approach online?
Research report by PIER at Anglia Ruskin University, providing insight into girls and their parents' understanding of self-generated CSAM.
This report conducted in collaboration with the Policing Institute for the Eastern Region (PIER) highlights the gravity of self-generated child sexual abuse material.
Our #HomeTruths (TALK) and Gurls Out Loud 'self-generated' child sexual abuse prevention campaign.
IWF wants to help young people stay safe online by making sure you know what to do if you accidentally see sexual images or videos of someone you think might be under 18.
Discover the latest trends & data in the fight against online child sexual abuse imagery in the 2023 Annual Report from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
Explore how ICAP sites use pyramid-style schemes to distribute child sexual abuse material, increasing public exposure and aiding criminal profits.
Discover the latest data and insights in the fight against online child sexual abuse imagery in the 2025 Annual data & insights report from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has launched a deliberately provocative public campaign in Brussels calling on EU citizens and MEPs to back a robust Child Sexual Abuse Regulation (CSAR). Titled "The Petition No One Would Sign," the campaign presents a mock petition asking the public to support making it easier for child sexual abuse to spread online — a proposition no one would actually endorse — to highlight the real-world consequences of a weak or delayed CSAR. Launched physically across Brussels, including at Schuman Metro station, and digitally across Europe, the campaign coincides with EU negotiators resuming talks this autumn after four years of stalled progress. The IWF cites a 260-fold rise in AI-generated child sexual abuse videos in 2025 alone. CEO Kerry Smith argues the technology and proposals to protect children already exist — what's missing is political will. The campaign urges citizens to contact their MEPs before the CSAR's temporary legal basis lapses in 2028.