07 June 2023, Brussels, Belgium – Tech industry is effectively working together with civil society in seeking technical and practical solutions to increasing problem of online child sexual abuse. DOT Europe, representing internet companies, and IWF, the Internet Watch Foundation, engaged in a dialogue on how to empower children to stay safe in the online environment and how to render Europe’s online child abuse law effective and future-proof.
An internet free of sexual abuse? It is one of the biggest challenges facing both civil society and the Tech industry today, when it comes to protecting users online. Nevertheless, both parties are heavily engaged in keeping children safe in the online environment. The Proposal for a regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse requires companies to take more action to detec, report and remove child sexual abuse material on their services.
In an interview published today, Michael Tunks, Head of Policy & Public Affairs at IWF and Siada El Ramly, director general of DOT Europe emphasize the importance of a holistic approach to tackle the issue. According to both organisations, allowing for innovation, recognising voluntary industry measures and using detection orders as a last resort measure are ways to make the CSAM proposal future-proof.
“Its valuable to show our industry and civil society share the common goal of keeping children safe online, and our positions on how to get that done, are actually not that different.” says Siada El Ramly, Director General of DOT Europe.
“59% of the removed content online comes from an EU member state, “ says Michael Tunks, – Head of Policy and Public Affairs at IWF. “To protect these children, we need to build on the good work already done by the Tech industry and civil society.”
Both conclude that duplication of already existing measures needs to be avoided, innovation remains an important part of the solution and complementarity of everyone’s efforts is core. DOT Europe and IWF look forward to the Council addressing some of the pending issues to strengthen the proposal further and provide the necessary clarity.
The full interview can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/KtXZMRFv3yY
For more information from DOT Europe contact:
+32(0) 472 26 83 02
