How Can We Eliminate Child Sexual Abuse Material Online?

TL;DR

To eliminate child sexual abuse material from the internet, a unified approach involving law enforcement, NGOs, and companies is essential. This includes building technology to connect data, identify victims quickly, and prevent material from being uploaded or shared. Effective collaboration and the commitment of society are crucial to addressing this pervasive issue.

Transcript

[This talk contains mature content] Five years ago, I received a phone call that would change my life. I remember so vividly that day. It was about this time of year, and I was sitting in my office. I remember the sun streaming through the window. And my phone rang. And I picked it up, and it was two federal agents, asking for my help in identifyin... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌍 The prevalence of child sexual abuse material on the internet is a global problem that continues to grow, with millions of images and videos reported in the US alone each year.
• 💔 The victims of this abuse often suffer long-lasting trauma and live with the fear that their abuse lives on, impacting their mental health and quality of life.
• 🔀 Our response as a society has been disconnected and ineffective, with fragmented approaches from law enforcement, companies, and governments. There is a need for a comprehensive and collaborative response.
• 💡 Technology can play a significant role in combating this issue, with the use of unique identifiers (hashes) to flag and remove abusive content from platforms, and to help law enforcement identify new victims and perpetrators.
• 🙌 Partnership with companies is crucial, as they hold significant amounts of abusive content on their platforms. By providing them with the tools and knowledge, a collective effort can be made to remove the material and prevent its circulation.
• ✊ It is imperative to connect all the data and information related to child sexual abuse material from various sources and jurisdictions to gain a better understanding of the scale of the problem and identify victims who need rescue or support.
• 📈 Scaling up efforts is necessary to outrun the perpetrators and dismantle the networks that perpetuate child sexual abuse. Thousands of officers, hundreds of companies, and governments must come together to address this issue.
• 💪 Taking action requires the will of society to confront this uncomfortable reality, the commitment of companies to ensure their platforms are not complicit, and the investment of governments in providing law enforcement with the necessary tools and resources to combat this crime.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the initial problem that the speaker encountered when federal agents contacted her for assistance in identifying a little girl featured in child sexual abuse images?

The speaker had to inform the federal agents that her nonprofit organization, which focused on fighting child sex trafficking, did not have the technology or resources to help them stop the abuse in this particular case.

Q: How has the prevalence of child sexual abuse material changed over the years due to the internet?

In the late 1980s, child pornography was nearly eliminated due to new laws and increased prosecutions. However, with the advent of the internet, the market for child sexual abuse material exploded. In the US alone, over 45 million images and videos were reported last year, almost double the prior year's amount.

Q: What approach has society taken in response to the issue of child sexual abuse material, and why is it ineffective?

Currently, society's response to this epidemic is disconnected and focuses on one piece of the puzzle at a time. Law enforcement works within their jurisdiction, companies only address their own platforms, and data is rarely shared. This approach is not working because abusers exploit new technologies while our response remains fragmented.

Q: How is technology being used to combat child sexual abuse material?

The speaker's organization, Thorn, is building technology to connect the dots between law enforcement, NGOs, and companies. They use unique hashes to identify and track images and videos, allowing for quicker identification of victims and the removal of abusive content. This technology has reduced the time it takes to locate a child by more than 65 percent.

Q: How is Thorn engaging companies to help identify and remove child sexual abuse material?

Thorn has partnered with companies, such as Imgur, to use their software and data to identify and remove abusive content. Within minutes of going live on Thorn's system, Imgur was able to stop someone from uploading abusive material and discovered hundreds more pieces of such content on the user's account. This approach allows for exponential impact as the data and hashes can benefit all participating companies.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Five years ago, the speaker received a phone call from federal agents asking for help in identifying a little girl who had been sexually abused and her abuse had been broadcasted on dark web sites.

• The prevalence of child sexual abuse material on the internet has increased significantly, with over 45 million images and videos reported in the US in one year.

• The speaker's organization, Thorn, is building technology to connect law enforcement, NGOs, and companies in order to combat child sexual abuse material and protect victims.