Using advanced hash-matching technologies, including Microsoft’s PhotoDNA, Videntifier’s Descriptor Hashing and conventional cryptographic hashing, Image Intercept helps organisations take meaningful steps toward compliance with the UK’s Online Safety Act while protecting their platforms from abuse.

Designed for ease of use, Image Intercept integrates seamlessly into existing websites and digital platforms, requiring minimal technical effort. Once deployed, it automatically checks every image and video upload against IWF’s extensive database, instantly identifying and preventing known illegal child sexual abuse content. This helps safeguard users, reduce risk, and prevent the further victimisation of children.

Image Intercept was launched in 2025. It is built to support smaller companies and start ups, particularly platforms and services that host user-generated content or allow image sharing.

The platform has been purposefully designed to scale and incorporate additional datasets over time.

Number of images and videos compared against the IWF hash list in 2025

12,607,541

By the end of 2025 this resulted in 16,339 confirmed hash matches to known child sexual abuse imagery.

As the Image Intercept tool automatically checks every uploaded image and video against the IWF’s extensive database, these figures continue to rise daily.

The number of positive child sexual abuse matches is particularly significant for companies that do not fit within our current membership model. These figures to date demonstrate the effectiveness and value of the solution.

Child sexual abuse image and video matches using Image Intercept

Image matches
Video matches

The proportion of images and videos screened by Image Intercept and confirmed as matches to our criminal hash list will vary depending on the nature of the websites and platforms using the service. Some platforms are predominantly image-based, while others host a higher volume of video content.

Neil Prowse - IWF Head of Membership

Image Intercept represents a significant step forward in scaling proactive prevention tools across the industry

Image Intercept has the ability to be a game changing service for small and medium size platforms, as well as high risk platforms that don't fit our traditional membership model. It's been designed to help platforms worldwide take meaningful steps in robust trust and safety measures and to comply with increasing regulation to prevent and disrupt child sexual imagery. Regardless of your company's size, we have a solution to support you, so get in touch with us.