IWF joins call to focus on effective solutions in fight against child sexual abuse online.
A unique safety tech tool which uses machine learning in real-time to detect child sexual abuse images and videos is to be developed by a collaboration of EU and UK experts.
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.
Dan explains the vital role the proposal could have in preventing the widespread sexual abuse, rape, and sexual torture of child victims online.
13 organisations launch campaign to stop the spread of child sexual abuse material online
IWF used to receive some funding from the European Union’s EU Safer Internet Programme. This is now provided by Nominet.
EU countries urged to have ‘courage’ and push for better laws to protect children at IWF’s annual report launch in Brussels
‘Vital’ child protection work sees top honour for IWF’s Susie Hargreaves - The NSPCC has made Ms Hargreaves an honorary member of the NSPCC council
Dutch MEP Jeroen Lenaers visits the IWF offices in Cambridge, UK, to hear directly from frontline experts about the harms of AI in the fight against online child sexual abuse.
From 3 April, the EU will become the only region worldwide without legal certainty allowing technology companies to detect child sexual abuse material online, prompting urgent warnings from child protection experts and global tech organisations. A coalition of 246 civil society groups and major industry players has condemned lawmakers for failing to extend the temporary legal framework that permitted privacy‑preserving detection tools, leaving companies unsure whether safeguarding systems remain lawful. With the EU already hosting the highest concentration of known child sexual abuse material - 62% of confirmed webpages in 2024 - experts warn the situation will worsen, reducing detections, hampering investigations, and emboldening offenders. As the EU’s proposed permanent legislation remains deadlocked, industry leaders and protection advocates stress that immediate action is essential to prevent increased harm to children across Europe and beyond.