The Digital Child Safety Forum (DCSF) brought together leading experts and stakeholders from law enforcement, government, hotlines, NGOs, tech, and industry for two days of collaboration, networking, and innovation. Held on December 3–4 in Brussels and funded by the European Union, the event centred around the theme Bridging Sectors Against CSAM, providing a space for diverse sectors to unite and explore solutions to safeguard children online.

Opening

The forum began with a warm welcome from Project Manager Grete Raidma and Marketing Manager Esmeralda Schoenmakers, underscoring the importance of effective communication between sectors in combating digital crimes against children.

Schoenmakers offered practical advice on impactful communication, setting an encouraging tone for meaningful networking and collaboration. Participants from various fields were urged to share expertise and address mutual challenges to forge new connections. This opening session laid the foundation for two days of dynamic discussions and solution-focused dialogues to tackle CSAM.

INHOPE: Connecting Across Borders

Grete Raidma presented INHOPE's ongoing efforts to foster cross-border and cross-sector collaboration. Several initiatives focus on harmonising methods to tackle CSAM globally. A key priority remains expanding hotlines to underserved regions, ensuring every country has a reliable way to report and process CSAM.

Attendees gained exclusive insights into new statistics from INHOPE’s ICCAM database, the trusted platform used by all hotlines for securely exchanging reports. Grete shared data from Q1 to Q3 of 2024, highlighting increases in newly identified material, illegal content, and the overall volume of reports. These trends underscore the growing scale of the challenge. Full data for 2024 will be released in INHOPE’s Annual Report in spring 2025.

Raidma highlighted impactful projects like the Universal Classification Schema and CPORT, which streamline communication and data exchange. She also introduced the recently released Global CSAM Legislative Overview, mapping legislation across 61 countries to help stakeholders understand and advocate for stronger laws.

Norwegian Police: A Proactive Approach

Bjørn-Erik Ludvigsen from KRIPOS shared insights into the Norwegian police's forward-thinking strategies against digital crimes targeting children. With an estimated 27 million men online harbouring a sexual interest in children, and an even higher number of people with sexual interest in pubescent and postpubescent children, he emphasised that a purely reactive approach is insufficient.

"We will not be able to arrest our way out of it, "Ludvigsen stated. Instead, he advocated for global prevention efforts that address the root causes of abuse. He highlighted innovative initiatives, including an increased online police presence and a campaign featuring videos from law enforcement officers worldwide. These videos, which provide resources for individuals with sexual interest in children, appear when users attempt to access potential CSAM online. Additionally, he introduced Helplinks.eu, a platform providing resources to assist those that have a sexual interest in children in seeking treatment to prevent abusive behavior.

Project CPORT

Project Manager Grete Raidma and Product Manager Chloe Comstock provided an update on the CPORT project, which is concluding this year. The project has revolutionised data exchange in the fight against CSAM.

The CPORT portal centralises data exchange by offering instant access to ICCAM reports and secure public report databases hosted at INTERPOL. This significantly reduces the workload for hotlines and law enforcement agencies while enriching INTERPOL's International Child Sexual Exploitation database (IWOL). Campaigns like ReportCSAM highlighted the importance of accessible reporting and prevention efforts.

While the current phase is ending, hopes remain high for its continuation. By 2025, CPORT aims to onboard 25 law enforcement agencies and explore functionalities like hash-sharing, contingent on funding. It also plans to support the global hotline network's expansion, enhancing international cooperation.

OSCE: Tackling Tech-Facilitated Exploitation

Radu Cucos, Associate Officer on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings at the OSCE, highlighted extensive efforts to tackle tech-facilitated trafficking and exploitation. By mapping high-risk platforms and identifying red-flag indicators, the OSCE has uncovered thousands of websites advertising victims of human trafficking, including CSAM.

Cucos showcased an interactive map developed with Tech Against Trafficking, highlighting over 300 initiatives and tools to combat trafficking and CSAM. This project demonstrates the OSCE’s dedication to harnessing technology effectively.

He also introduced the OSCE’s latest policy brief on generative AI’s role in facilitating trafficking and exploitation, providing stakeholders with insights to address these emerging challenges. Cucos emphasised the growing overlap between CSAM and trafficking, driven by the digital nature of these crimes, underscoring the urgency of coordinated action.

Interactive Sessions

Day one wrapped up with interactive sessions encouraging lively 1-on-1 discussions and forging new connections among attendees. Key topics included stronger communication and collaboration across sectors, addressing privacy and jurisdictional challenges to create unified global legislation, and integrating digital safety education into schools.

Participants expressed concerns about the increasing scale of CSAM and emerging risks from generative AI. They called for proactive, coordinated efforts to tackle these threats. “Every connection we forge today brings us one step closer to a safer digital world for children,” Schoenmakers concluded as she closed the first day.


Continue reading - Recap Day Two