In order to understand the challenge of tackling child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online we must understand the scale of the issue. Over half a million reports of potentially illegal CSAM were exchanged in ICCAM in 2022, meaning that thousands of reports per day are entered into the ICCAM system.

The ICCAM system offers a technical solution to exchange and process online CSAM reports (this system currently only supports this for member hotlines). In order to utilise ICCAM and optimise the technology to offer multistakeholder benefits Project CPORT has been formed. The aim is to build on to the current functionality by developing an access portal for law enforcement that facilitates information and intelligence flow between the key players in this field: INTERPOL, national law enforcement and the INHOPE Network. Automation is essential to process CSAM reports quickly and efficiently. This project will strengthen the communication and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and hotlines with two-way data exchange. The goal is to increase capabilities while maintaining and validating high-quality data so that key intelligence is easily accessible to law enforcement. The two-way exchange will also allow hotline analysts to directly contribute to the INTERPOL International Child Sexual Exploitation Database (ICSE) and INTERPOL ‘Worst Of’ List’ (IWOL) – a list of domains that disseminates the most severe child abuse material worldwide. As a result, law enforcement agencies will get more enriched data that allows them to spend more time and resources on investigations.

CPORT is about establishing overall efficiencies that streamline the processing of reports of CSAM and this includes capacity building. Content assessment training and focus groups will be held through the project for hotline analysts and law enforcement officers.

However, we must remember, reports are key. Without public reporting, we cannot create an effective means to tackle CSAM. Reporting will always remain an essential part of CSAM removal online.