ExoClick is a member of the Internet Watch Foundation

3 November 2021, Barcelona, Spain. ExoClick is now a member of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). The IWF is an independent not-for-profit organisation supported by the global internet industry and the European Commission. It works internationally to make the internet a safer place, by identifying and removing online child sexual abuse images and videos. Additionally the IWF offers the public a safe place to report suspected online child sexual abuse images and videos anonymously. 

The IWF’s team of expert content analysts pro-actively search for child sexual abuse images and videos. Once discovered, the IWF compiles and maintains a list of URLs for individual webpages with child sexual abuse content called the IWF URL List. The list typically contains between 5,000 and 12,000 URLs every day with a daily ‘churn’ of content being added to the list and removed from the list as appropriate. Additionally, the IWF passes this information to the INHOPE network of hotlines across the world and works with the relevant police body in each country where the images and videos are discovered.

ExoClick’s membership involves help with funding the IWF as well as collaborating by using their URL list and their keywords list, which provides cryptic terms associated with child sexual abuse material. Additionally, ExoClick’s Compliance team will share any detections of URLs that feature child sexual abuse content for the IWF to review and alert relevant authorities.

ExoClick’s Director of Compliance Bryan McDonald commented, “ExoClick takes this subject extremely seriously and by joining the Internet Watch Foundation, we aim to help them in their fight to rid the internet of child sexual abuse images and videos. Not only to protect the victims of this crime but also to help keep the internet as a safe viewing experience for end users.” 

Susie Hargreaves OBE, Chief Executive of the Internet Watch Foundation, said: “Working together is the only way we can hope to make the internet a safer place for everybody. Devious criminals who would exploit the sexual abuse of children must have nowhere to hide online. Partnerships like this are absolutely key in bringing together the best expertise, best tools, and best people to prioritise the safety of children.”

Find out more about ExoClick’s involvement with the IWF here.