Internet Watch Foundation

Labour MP Debra Shipley is calling upon internet search engines to reduce the accessibility of child pornography by suppressing high risk key words or combinations of words.  Ms Shipley has taken up the issue with Government ministers following a parliamentary meeting she attended with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF).

 

Ms Shipley said, “When searching for illegal online material, paedophiles are often aware of a set of keywords or phrases.  Typing a simple combination of words can allow an individual access to hundreds of clips and files depicting children being sexually abused.

 

The search engine, Ask Jeeves, already implements this kind of policy. Ask Jeeves’ plan was easy to implement and successfully blocked high risk words or combinations of words from delivering results.  The list of key words or combinations of key words comes from reports of the Internet Watch Foundation and research done by a specially trained internet hotline team.

 

 

"At Ask Jeeves we met the challenges of supressing key words head on. The keyword list supplied by the IWF was implemented very quickly and our service now completely blocks certain keywords from delivering any results. Our ongoing relationship with the IWF ensures we are always updating our site to ensure compliance within the search market."

Adrian Cox, CEO, Ask Jeeves

(extract from the IWF 2003 Annual Report)

 

Ms Shipley added, “Even innocent internet searches, if worded in the wrong way, can locate illegal images.  A prevention scheme would not only reduce the availability of child abuse web sites but also protect innocent people from exposure to this sickening material.  I believe that all internet search engines should be required to take action on this.”

 

Over the last 18 months the IWF has been building up expertise in the area of search engine technologies to further support it's relevant member companies in the fight against accessing indecent images of children through online search engine facilities.