Registries using Internet Watch Foundation, Public Interest Registry protections triple in crackdown on commercial child sexual abuse gangs

New partnership provides protection from child sexual abuse material for 37,842,025 new domains in six months

‘Now is the time’ to act, with IWF protection available at no cost, thanks to sponsorship by Public Interest Registry.

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A “landmark” drive to target criminal gangs exploiting ‘loopholes’ to keep child sexual abuse online has seen the number of domain registries using Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) services triple in six months.

In February, Public Interest Registry (PIR), the US non-profit that operates the .ORG Top-Level Domain, joined the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in a push to give all Domain Name Registries free access to tools to disrupt sites dedicated to the commercial distribution and exploitation of online child sexual abuse material.

The sponsorship agreement has seen PIR sponsor other registries and registry service providers with free access to two important IWF services: Domain Alerts and the TLD (Top-Level Domain) Hopping List.

Since PIR and IWF first launched the partnership, the partners have tripled the number of registries that have access to IWF tools to stop child sexual abuse material. In February 2024, only 11 registries received IWF Domain Alerts. Now, thanks to PIR’s sponsorship, an additional 20 registries take services. This means 31 registries now benefit from IWF protection, helping keep criminal content off an additional 52 top level domains with nearly 37.9 million domains under management at no cost to participating registries.

Crucially, these tools allow more registries to take action top level domain hopping – a practice by which criminal sites are taken offline, only to reappear, often with the same content and same name, but under a different top-level domain.

For example, someone registers the site “BadAbuseSite” in one top-level domain, the domain is suspended, and then “BadAbuseSite” is registered again in another top-level domain.

The new program makes the TLD Hopping List – which targets the criminal sites that the IWF identified as recognisable abuse “brands” – available free of charge for the first time to all registries. With more registries having access to the lists, there will be fewer places for criminals running abuse “brands” to try to register their sites.

Derek Ray-Hill, Interim CEO at the IWF, said: “Through this landmark initiative, we’ve been able to bring IWF protection to even more parts of the internet.

“The problems we face need a collaborative approach, and I know it is through collaborations like this that we can really make a difference and frustrate these criminal gangs who want to profit from children’s suffering and hurt.

“But we need to go further. The last six months have seen us triple the number of registries using these tools. We’re sending a strong message – and now is the time for more people to join us in this important work. It’s time to shut the door for good on these criminals.”

PIR is providing this sponsorship in furtherance of its non-profit mission to serve as an exemplary Domain Name Registry.

Jon Nevett, CEO of Public Interest Registry said: “Public Interest Registry is proud to partner with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to protect children and make the Internet a safer place. IWF’s work to identify and remove harmful videos and images of child sexual abuse is critical. As part of our nonprofit mission, we’re honored to make IWF’s resources available to more registries to fight abuse.”

The PIR sponsorship also gives top level domain registries free access to the IWF’s  Domain Alerts program, which provides real-time alerts to participating registries if child sexual abuse content is detected on a domain they operate.

“Since integrating the Internet Watch Foundation’s (IWF) services, we’ve seen a significant impact on our efforts to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online,” says Neha Vijay, Senior Director of Risk, Policy, and Compliance at Radix Registry. “In 2024 alone, we have received 168 CSAM reports, with an incredible 70% of those coming directly from the IWF. What’s more, since onboarding the IWF, we have not received any CSAM reports from other sources, underscoring the pivotal role IWF plays in preventing online harm. Their work is invaluable in helping us create a safer internet for all.”

This ensures fast removal of content before it is further spread online. For domains flagged as having sites dedicated to the distribution of the abusive content, the registry can act directly and suspend the domain.

Other sites identified as having harmful content possibly added by third-parties, but not dedicated to the distribution of the abuse materials, will be notified and can remove the harmful content to avoid suspension of the domain.

To learn more about how your business can get involved, visit iwf.org.uk/membership. Interested Domain Name Registries can contact the membership team directly at members@iwf.org.uk 

The public is given this advice when making a report to iwf.org.uk/report:

• Do report images and videos of child sexual abuse to the IWF to be removed. Reports to the IWF are anonymous.
• Do provide the exact URL where child sexual abuse images are located.
• Don’t report other harmful content – you can find details of other agencies to report to on the IWF’s website.
• Do report to the police if you are concerned a child may be in immediate danger.

Do report only once for each web address – or URL. Repeat reporting of the same URL isn’t needed and wastes analysts’ time.

Notes to editors:

The IWF is the largest hotline in Europe dedicated to finding and removing child sexual abuse material from the internet.

Contact: Josh Thomas, Press Manager, josh@iwf.org.uk +44 (0) 7377 727058

Parents and carers are encouraged to T.A.L.K to their children about the dangers.

• Talk to your child about online sexual abuse. Start the conversation – and listen to their concerns.
• Agree ground rules about the way you use technology as a family.
• Learn about the platforms and apps your child loves. Take an interest in their online life.
• Know how to use tools, apps and settings that can help to keep your child safe online.

What we do:

We make the internet a safer place. We help victims of child sexual abuse worldwide by identifying and removing online images and videos of their abuse. We search for child sexual abuse images and videos and offer a place for the public to report them anonymously. We then have them removed. We’re a not for profit organisation and are supported by the global internet industry.

For more information please visit www.iwf.org.uk

The IWF is part of the UK Safer Internet Centre, working with Childnet International and the South West Grid for Learning to promote the safe and responsible use of technology.

The IWF works globally to stop child sexual abuse imagery on the internet. If you ever stumble across a sexual image or video of someone you think is under 18, please report to the IWF. Reporting can be done anonymously and confidentially – we don’t need your details, just your help.

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