Based on National Crime Agency work from 2019, the International Justice Mission (IJM) stated that “the UK is in the top three global consumers of livestreamed child sexual abuse”. In 2024, Interpol said that livestreamed child abuse is the main form of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
Suggestions for safeguarding children include AI and other technologies to be put in place to make such crimes impossible. These include the use of AI filters on smart phones and other devices with cameras. The IJM claims that the technology already exists to halt this trade.
This POSTnote will explore whether such controls exist, whether they are effective, and what regulatory barriers exist to their implementation. It will also explore where the livestreamed material is being produced, and where it is being consumed globally.