Child porn on the net up by 24 per cent

Last updated at 15:19 20 July 2006


An Internet watchdog which investigates child abuse images on websites has reported its 'busiest year yet'. Reports of suspicious material have increased by 24 per cent in the first six months of 2006.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said reports of images have significantly increased. It received 14,313 reports of suspicious material in the first six months of 2006, an increase of 24 per cent on the same period in 2005. Of those websites investigated, more than a third (4,908) contained potentially illegal content.

But only a tiny proportion of online child abuse images are hosted in the UK, while half are hosted in the US.

Chief executive Peter Robbins said 2006 was the "busiest year yet" for the organisation which receives reports from the public and IT workers.

He said the increase in reports could be attributed to growing public intolerance of such sites and increased awareness of the need to tackle it.

Some internet companies were now using the IWF's database to block sites containing child abuse content, he added.

Vernon Coaker MP, under-secretary for policing, security and community safety, said greater action needs to be taken at an international level.

He said: "It is crucial to raise awareness among UK internet users about the IWF as the vehicle to report their inadvertent exposure to this type of content."

The IWF's half-year report also revealed:

• Just 0.2 per cent of child abuse images on the internet are hosted in the UK, down from 18 per cent in 1997.

• Up to half of all child abuse content was traced to the US, 15 per cent to Russia, 12 per cent to Japan and 9 per cent to Spain.

Reports of child abuse images can be made online at www.iwf.org.uk

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