ChildFund PSA calls out AI’s role in the proliferation of child sexual abuse material online

“If you ask me, there’s never been a better time to be a monster,” he says after describing how technology has allowed predators the increased ability to review, rate and recommend CSAM. 

 

The video is part of a multimedia campaign and also includes a widget which allows viewers to add their voices to demand action from policymakers, as well as a mini-documentary. Included in the short film are Sonya Ryan, whose daughter was murdered by an online predator, and Jim Cole, a retired Homeland Security Investigations special agent with knowledge of the technology tools that exist but aren’t used.

 

“Instead of being a place for learning, playing and connecting with friends and family, the internet has become a place rife with ways to exploit and abuse children,” said Erin Kennedy, ChildFund International’s vice president of external affairs and partnerships, in a press release.

 

Tech companies are not legally required to search for CSAM shared or held via their platforms. While they are required to report it once they have been made aware of its existence, these companies are not typically punished for neglecting to quickly remove it.

 

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children noted in a report earlier this year that it receives around 80,000 reports to its Cyber TipLine each day, with a majority of the CSAM reported living on the open web (as opposed to the dark web, which is much harder to access). 

 

This campaign puts the onus on tech companies, whose platforms serve as hosts for this media. “We want technology companies to recognize their responsibility,” noted Kennedy. “Profit should not come before the protection and well-being of children.”