IWF 2009 report reveals 'brands' selling child abuse images online

The UK’s Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) today published its Annual Report 2009, revealing the existence of at least 450 distinct criminal ‘brands’ selling images and videos of the sexual abuse of children, worldwide.



The ten most prolific ‘brands’ alone account for more than 650 unique web pages. By removing and disrupting these ‘gateway’ pages the Foundation is helping to disable access to many thousands of images as well as the membership and payment systems which support this horrific trade.

Content distributers use increasingly complex systems to evade detection, moving their distribution networks regularly between hosting providers and countries, with 92% of content hosted in those areas with advanced, cheap and accessible internet infrastructures and services (North America, Europe and Russia).

The severity of the content dealt with by the IWF is extremely serious: 72% of child victims appearing to be between 0 and 10 years old and 44% of images depicting the rape or sexual torture of a child.

The Foundation is planning to widen its links to the internet industry around the world, in partnership with Hotlines and law enforcement agencies, in order to speed up the removal of child sexual abuse images hosted outside the UK.

In 2009:

• The IWF assessed 38,173 reports of online content;

•  It took further action on 8,844 occasions against web pages depicting child sexual abuse content, across 1,316 websites around the world;

• 48% of all child sexual abuse content reports processed (commercial and non-commercial) were traced to networks in North America; 44% to Europe and Russia;

•  IWF issued 40 notices to companies to remove child sexual abuse content in the UK

Your can read the IWF 2009 report in full here.