The Internet has become an important part of our daily lives, with both positive and negative (dark) aspects that a user can use as per his requirements based on his likes and dislikes. The internet has all of the content that one could want, including child sexual images and videos, and the internet has made it easier to access this inappropriate content.

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is “the involvement of a child in sexual activity that he or she does not fully comprehend and is unable to give informed consent to, or for which the child is not developmentally prepared, or else that violate the laws or social taboos of society.” Child abuse and neglect is a global public health problem. It is a prevailing problem in all generations, socioeconomic strata, and societies.

What is CSAM?

Different nations have separate legal definitions of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The minimum definition of CSAM is images or films that depict a youngster engaging in or being represented as engaging in explicit sexual conduct. CSAM is frequently created and disseminated without the child’s knowledge or consent. The kids who are portrayed in this kind of media frequently have no idea that it even exists, much less that it is being circulated. Because of this, it is even more crucial for parents and other adult caregivers to be aware of the possibility of CSAM and to take precautions to prevent children from becoming victims.

Every jurisdiction has its own unique definition of what constitutes Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). What constitutes CSAM is governed by national laws and regulations, which might differ greatly from one nation to the next. Due of this, it may be challenging to develop a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of CSAM and its production and distribution processes by Digital forensics.

However, there are some similarities among the ways that CSAM is defined in various nations. In general, CSAM refers to any kind of sexually explicit material involving children, including textual, visual, and audio forms. This can range from openly sexualized images of children to more covert types of exploitation, such nude or semi-nude photos of toddlers.

What are the challenges?

The field of child sexual abuse material has various difficulties (CSAM). It is mostly a crime against minors. CSAM is frequently utilised to groom and sexually exploit minors. Because it might be concealed from view, it might be challenging to discover and get rid of for law enforcement and other authorities. Furthermore, it is challenging to identify and trace CSAM because it is frequently exchanged online in exchange for other illegal materials. Finally, CSAM may have a long-lasting effect on the victims, leaving them traumatised psychologically and more open to further exploitation.

Growing number of CSAM cases:

Concern is raised by the rising incidence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Any content meant to sexually arouse the viewer or that shows a youngster engaging in sexual activity is considered CSAM. You can find this content in a variety of formats, such as films, pictures, and webpages.

The rising incidence of CSAM cases could be caused by a variety of causes. One reason is the growing accessibility of this information online. With the growth of the internet, accessing and disseminating child pornography has never been simpler. The increasing number of people who are willing to create and distribute this content is another aspect. People may occasionally create and distribute CSAM.

Back in 2019, the Factor Daily reported 19,87,430 child sexual abuse images online, which is the single largest out of 241 countries. That means at least three reports every minute.

In the month of September 2022, the CBI conducted searches at 59 locations across 21 states and a Union Territory, where a large number of electronic devices, including smartphones and laptops, belonging to more than 50 suspects were recovered. The “Megh Chakra” operation is one of the most significant CBI-led global operations in recent memory, and it is being carried out in response to inputs received from Interpol’s Singapore special unit based on information received from New Zealand authorities. The operation will put together information collected from various law enforcement agencies in India, which further involves engagement with global agencies and close coordination through Interpol channels to curb such crime. Exercise of similar nature, code-named “Operation Carbon,” was also launched in the year 2021 by this agency, and many were booked under the IT Act, 2000.

How to effectively address these cases?

There is no one solution that works for all CSAM scenarios because the strategy will differ based on the unique conditions. To ensure an efficient reaction, there are certain broad guidelines that can be followed.

First and foremost, it’s crucial to make sure that all concerned agencies are coordinated and cooperative. Law enforcement, child welfare agencies, and any other pertinent organisations are included in this. Agencies that collaborate effectively can exchange information and resources and ensure that cases are handled as quickly as possible.

Second, it is critical to offer assistance to the victims’ families. To assist them in coping with the trauma of what has happened, this may entail counselling and other forms of assistance.

Thirdly, it is important to have robust systems and processes in place to deal with CSAM cases. This includes having clear procedures for reporting and investigating cases, and ensuring that all agencies involved are trained in how to deal with them.

Efforts on the global level are being made to tackle these crimes, and organisations like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), INHOPE, Aarambh India, etc., together with agencies globally, are making sure that every victim gets justice.

How our solutions will help in addressing CSAM cases:

Semantics21:  

Semantics 21 develops digital forensics software to analyse and grade images and videos combating child sexual exploitation. From its launch in 2015 to today, it is recognised as the most innovative and trusted provider of victim identification, triage, image, and video categorization products across the world. Its flagship product enables thousands of investigators across the world to identify more victims and streamline categorisation, with specialist workflows and AI, including S21 Auto Categoriser and S21 Assisted VID to help automate investigations. Semantics 21 maintains the world’s largest CSAM intelligence database, the Global Alliance Database, which holds over 1 billion records and is contribution-led and free to access.

ADF Solutions:

ADF Solutions software is used to accelerate CSAM investigations from the scene to the forensic lab by allowing for auto and manual tagging for faster results and providing reporting software that investigators can share regardless of whether others have ADF software or not. It provides digital forensic image recognition and classification software that makes it easier for ICAC task forces to investigate images and videos of child sexual exploitation.

Griffeye:

Griffeye is one of the best resources for turning information into intelligence for the law enforcement community. It helps organisations collect, process, analyse, visualise, and manage images and videos. Griffeye Analyze is a modular, open platform for digital media investigations that is used by law enforcement across the world to process, sort, and analyse large volumes of images and videos.

Conclusion:

Service providers and regulators are becoming more aware of the addictive nature of the services offered online and their delivery to end users as digital platforms serve an ever-growing user base. Discussions at practices are now centred on children, which has sparked increased regulatory vigilance and policy-making efforts. Besides this, efforts at the global level and close coordination among the agencies and dedicated organisations will definitely make a difference. In this fight, the National Crime Records Bureau (MHA) signed an MOU with the NCMEC in April 2019 to receive CyberTipline (a program operated by the NCMEC) reports to facilitate action against those who upload or share CSAM in India. But this is just the tip of the iceberg and India needs to explore all options and adopt an appropriate strategy to stop the production and the spread of online CSAM. It is time that India should have its own dedicated database for faster redressal and to make sure that the perpetrator does not escape the clutches of the legal system.