IWF reports child abuse images being swiftly removed

When it comes to removing child sexual abuse pictures from the net, websites and ISPs are getting the job done more swiftly these days.

This is according to the Internet Watch Foundation’s Annual Report 2010, which details a scheme the IWF launched to get images taken down more quickly across the globe.

One which was very successful by all accounts, and has resulted in the amount of time criminal images remain available on the web being greatly shortened.

A year ago, such images remained online for around a month, whereas now the average lifespan of a paedophile’s picture is twelve days. That’s worldwide, mind you, and in the UK where the IWF is based, the lifespan of the material is just a few hours.

Eve Salomon, IWF Chair, commented: “Taking our content removal experience to the global level was a significant challenge and to see such dramatic progress is fantastic. In every instance where an image is removed quickly, the risk of a child being re-victimised by someone viewing their abuse is substantially reduced.”

“Our dedicated team, with the support of the internet industry and international Hotlines, is clearly making a significant difference. By developing this strand of our work and combining it with our intelligence of the commercial networks involved, we intend to have an ever-greater impact on the distribution – and especially sale – of images of children being sexually abused.”