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OXFORD, UK – 22nd June 2023: Nominet, the public benefit internet company, responsible for operating the .UK domain, is funding Internet Matters to carry out research into the growing problem of self-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Statistics from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) show that there has been an alarming rise in self-generated child sexual abuse imagery (CSAM) detected in the UK in recent years – from 38,500 cases in 2019 up to 182,000 cases in 2021 and 199,000 in 2022. Nearly 80% of all webpages actioned by the IWF in 2022 contained self-generated imagery. Children aged 11-13 appear most frequently in ‘self-generated’ imagery, as in previous years. This is an area of deep concern for child safety experts.
Nominet’s funding will enable Internet Matters to build on its core activities and conduct focused research into how to prevent the creation and distribution of self-generated CSAM, with a focus on those aged 11-13. Internet Matters’ findings will help inform not only its own work, but the work of the wider online safety sector in combating this issue.
The research team will work with panels of young people, parents and teachers to co-create effective messaging to dissuade young people from requesting, creating and sharing self-generated CSAM. The panels will also explore how best to deliver this prevention messaging, whether through the curriculum, in pastoral interventions, or directly to young people through peers, influencers, campaigns or tech solutions.
Simone Vibert, Head of Policy and Research at Internet Matters said: “The surge in recent years of so-called self-generated CSAM is deeply disturbing. The Internet Watch Foundation have warned of year-on-year increases, since the Covid-19 pandemic, in the volume of this imagery online. Efforts to remove it from circulation are necessary and important – but so is preventing its creation in the first place. There has been limited success in identifying how most effectively to dissuade young people from sharing nude images. We are excited to partner with Nominet on this pioneering research project which will explore this theme with young people, parents and teachers, helping to turn the tide on self-generated CSAM.”
Eleanor Bradley, Managing Director, Registry and Public Benefit at Nominet commented: “The threats to young people online are ever-changing, and we’re seeing the scale of this online harm growing at an alarming rate. It’s important that we help young people protect themselves from exploitation. The technology industry needs to act fast and make greater efforts to prevent this material from being created, and we’re playing our part by supporting Internet Matters to design and deliver the responses needed to this problem.”
The findings of this research are expected in 2024.
About Nominet
Nominet is a public benefit company, driven by a commitment to use technology to improve connectivity, security and inclusivity online. Since 1996, Nominet has run the .UK internet infrastructure, developing an expertise in the Domain Name System (DNS) that now underpins sophisticated threat monitoring, detection, prevention, and analytics that is used by governments to mitigate cyber threats. Our social impact programme provides funding, support and opportunities to help tackle some of the most important digital issues facing young people in the UK today
www.nominet.uk
About Internet Matters
Internet Matters (internetmatters.org) is a not-for-profit, industry-funded members body that helps families stay safe online, providing resources for parents, carers and educational professionals. It was established in 2014 by BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media O2 and its members include Google, Meta, Samsung Electronics UK, TikTok and ESET. It is a member of the Executive Board of UKCIS (UK Council for Internet Safety), where it leads the working group for vulnerable users, and has advisory panel positions with Ofcom and the Government’s Media Literacy Taskforce. It works with partners from across the industry, government and third sector to raise awareness and provide advice on the issues affecting children in the digital age, including cyberbullying, screen time, digital resilience, extreme content, privacy and exploitation.
The post Nominet and Internet Matters join forces to address the growing trend of self-generated child abuse material appeared first on Nominet.
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Statistics from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) show that there has been an alarming rise in self-generated child sexual abuse imagery (CSAM) detected in the UK in recent years – from 38,500 cases in 2019 up to 182,000 cases in 2021 and 199,000 in 2022. Nearly 80% of all webpages actioned by the IWF in 2022 contained self-generated imagery. Children aged 11-13 appear most frequently in ‘self-generated’ imagery, as in previous years. This is an area of deep concern for child safety experts.
Nominet’s funding will enable Internet Matters to build on its core activities and conduct focused research into how to prevent the creation and distribution of self-generated CSAM, with a focus on those aged 11-13. Internet Matters’ findings will help inform not only its own work, but the work of the wider online safety sector in combating this issue.
The research team will work with panels of young people, parents and teachers to co-create effective messaging to dissuade young people from requesting, creating and sharing self-generated CSAM. The panels will also explore how best to deliver this prevention messaging, whether through the curriculum, in pastoral interventions, or directly to young people through peers, influencers, campaigns or tech solutions.
Simone Vibert, Head of Policy and Research at Internet Matters said: “The surge in recent years of so-called self-generated CSAM is deeply disturbing. The Internet Watch Foundation have warned of year-on-year increases, since the Covid-19 pandemic, in the volume of this imagery online. Efforts to remove it from circulation are necessary and important – but so is preventing its creation in the first place. There has been limited success in identifying how most effectively to dissuade young people from sharing nude images. We are excited to partner with Nominet on this pioneering research project which will explore this theme with young people, parents and teachers, helping to turn the tide on self-generated CSAM.”
Eleanor Bradley, Managing Director, Registry and Public Benefit at Nominet commented: “The threats to young people online are ever-changing, and we’re seeing the scale of this online harm growing at an alarming rate. It’s important that we help young people protect themselves from exploitation. The technology industry needs to act fast and make greater efforts to prevent this material from being created, and we’re playing our part by supporting Internet Matters to design and deliver the responses needed to this problem.”
The findings of this research are expected in 2024.
About Nominet
Nominet is a public benefit company, driven by a commitment to use technology to improve connectivity, security and inclusivity online. Since 1996, Nominet has run the .UK internet infrastructure, developing an expertise in the Domain Name System (DNS) that now underpins sophisticated threat monitoring, detection, prevention, and analytics that is used by governments to mitigate cyber threats. Our social impact programme provides funding, support and opportunities to help tackle some of the most important digital issues facing young people in the UK today
www.nominet.uk
About Internet Matters
Internet Matters (internetmatters.org) is a not-for-profit, industry-funded members body that helps families stay safe online, providing resources for parents, carers and educational professionals. It was established in 2014 by BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media O2 and its members include Google, Meta, Samsung Electronics UK, TikTok and ESET. It is a member of the Executive Board of UKCIS (UK Council for Internet Safety), where it leads the working group for vulnerable users, and has advisory panel positions with Ofcom and the Government’s Media Literacy Taskforce. It works with partners from across the industry, government and third sector to raise awareness and provide advice on the issues affecting children in the digital age, including cyberbullying, screen time, digital resilience, extreme content, privacy and exploitation.
The post Nominet and Internet Matters join forces to address the growing trend of self-generated child abuse material appeared first on Nominet.
Continue reading...
