NSPCC’s Childline Service and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) have launched Report Remove, a tool to help young people remove sexual images and videos of themselves from the internet.
“The impact of having a nude image shared on the internet cannot be underestimated and for many young people, it can leave them feeling extremely worried and unsure on what to do or who to turn to for support,” said Cormac Nolan, the Service Head of Childline Online. “That’s why Childline and the IWF have developed Report Remove to provide young people with a simple, safe tool that they can use to try and help them regain control over what is happening and get this content erased.”
The impact of having a nude image shared on the internet cannot be underestimated.
Once young people report the images or videos, IWF analysts are ready to respond at the other end of the line. A hash – a type of digital fingerprint – will then be created from the image or video, which is then provided to tech platforms across the world to ensure that it is not shared, uploaded or disseminated further.
The tool was also created with young people’s safety at the forefront: they do not need to provide their real name if they don’t want to, and even if they do, that information is safeguarded by the organizations after entry.
“This tool is a world first. It will give young people the power, and the confidence, to reclaim these images and make sure they do not fall into the wrong hands online,” said Susie Hargreaves, OBE, Chief Executive of the IWF.
This tool is a world first.
Today, tools like these are needed more than ever before. In the first three months of 2021, IWF saw reports of self-generated images more than double, increasing from 17,500 to 38,000 when compared with the first three months of 2020. COVID-19 has led children to spend more time online than ever before, and as the pandemic continues to spread across the globe, mechanisms to remove and reduce child sexual abuse material are critical.
Report Remove encourages young people to take their digital safety into their own hands. But still, we all have a role to play. The End Violence Partnership urges governments and the private sector to actively ensure their digital platforms, products and services are safe for children – inhospitable to child sexual abuse material.
To do so, we are pushing for governments and the private sector to adopt comprehensive child online safety policies; building on frameworks such as the WePROTECT Global Alliance Model National Response; and increasing investments to scale-up solutions to keep children safe online.
Learn more about our efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
