Tech Follows

The horrors of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) are not limited to the direct abuse performed, because of the ability to disseminate material across the web, survivors are left haunted and tormented by the materials as they continue to find an outlet in user-generated online platforms.

However, as the technology advances to allow further sharing of CSAM, so does the technology to stop it. Over the past five years six million images and videos of CSAM have been removed from the internet through Project Arachnid; an innovative, global tool operated by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P), that detects known images of CSAM and issues removal notices.

While Project Arachnid is a powerful tool, without the cooperation of tech companies the cycle of abuse will continue, which is what the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and No Fixed Address have captured in their new film Unwanted Followers that portrays the chilling, lifelong effects of abuse.

“Survivors don’t simply get over childhood sexual assault and the recording of their abuse. They live with it their entire lives. When tech fails to remove the abusive images/videos, these crimes aren’t just memories—they can remain online for years,” says Trent Thompson, VP, Creative Director, at No Fixed Address. “Haunted by the visual of survivors unable to escape their torment, we aimed to create a small glimpse into their experience for the viewers to have a better understanding and rally together to demand change.”

Before the film was released to the public it was screened at the G7 Summit in London to call upon the individuals in power, world and tech industry leaders, to instigate change and truly fight against CSAM. The hope being to hold those who can make real change accountable and to encourage a wider adoption of tools like Project Arachnid.

“The initial hands-on child sexual abuse was indescribable. The continued distribution of its recording, intolerable. It is for this exact reason we created Project Arachnid,” says Lianna McDonald, Executive Director of C3P. “For decades, tech’s response has been woefully inadequate and through our work with No Fixed Address we aim to demand more to protect our children and future generations online.”

CREDITS:

Client: The Canadian Centre for Child Protection
Agency: No Fixed Address (NFA)
Production: 4Zero1 & Voyelles Films
Offline: Outsider Editorial
Transfer / Online: The Vanity
Sound & Original Music: Yan Dal Santo - Atelier F.
Public Relations: NFA PR

About Canadian Centre for Child Protection

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection (C3P) is a national charity dedicated to the personal safety of all children. The organization’s goal is to reduce the sexual abuse and exploitation of children through programs, services, and resources for Canadian families, educators, child-serving organizations, law enforcement, and other parties. C3P also operates Cybertip.ca, Canada’s national tipline to report child sexual abuse and exploitation on the internet, and Project Arachnid, a web platform designed to detect known images of CSAM on the clear and dark web and issue removal notices to industry.