Hash matching is playing an increasingly important role in disrupting and preventing the circulation of online child sexual abuse images and videos.
Each hash created strengthens our ability to prevent revictimisation, disrupt networks and support law enforcement and industry partners.
This section highlights all-time hash data, showing the cumulative impact of our work in identifying and preventing criminal imagery. The analysis of the imagery, in particular the sexual activity metadata and severity of the abuse, reveals patterns and repetition that inform targeted prevention.
We also introduce Image Intercept, our purpose-built solution that enables organisations to detect and block known illegal content, extending the reach of the IWF’s mission beyond Members. And we provide data on those hashes that show what's termed 'self-generated' child sexual abuse imagery which includes images and videos where children are groomed, deceived or extorted into producing and sharing a sexual image or video of themselves by someone who is not physically present in the room with the child.
We encourage as many platforms and companies as possible to deploy our hash list, along with other globally available lists, in order to prevent the circulation of known child sexual abuse imagery.