The EU has provided £1.8 million to fund a new app designed to reduce online access to child sexual abuse content. The ‘Protech’ project is a collaboration between EU and UK organisations that aims to use artificial intelligence to identify and prevent the display of harmful images and videos.
Salus is a real-time application designed to prevent users from viewing illegal images. However, it will not be used to report users to law enforcement. Those who wish to use the app will be recruited by organisations, such as the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, that work with individuals who are drawn to online images of child abuse.
The demand for online child sexual abuse material is increasing, and according to the NSPCC’s most recent report, 30,925 offences in 2021/2022 involved the possession and distribution of child pornographic images. The issue cannot be resolved by law enforcement alone, making the new app a welcome development.
Donald Findlater of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation believes that it could assist individuals in controlling their behaviour, stating, “It is a practical aid for those who recognise their own vulnerability.” Meanwhile, SafeToNet’s Tom Farrell argued that arresting criminals was insufficient and that “we can work on the prevention side to reduce demand and accessibility.”
The app will be tested on at least 180 users over a period of eleven months in five countries – Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom – and experts who are not affiliated with the project believe it has potential. Belinda Winder of Nottingham Trent University stated that it was a step in the right direction, but the devil would be in the details of how it actually works.
Salus, an innovative new app, has been created to combat the growing demand for online child sexual abuse content. It is supported by £1.8 million from the EU and employs artificial intelligence to identify and block the display of harmful images and videos. It is currently being tested in five European countries with at least 180 volunteers who have sought assistance for their attraction to illegal images.
Donald Findlater, from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, stated that it could assist those who recognise their own vulnerability. SafeToNet’s Tom Farrell concurred, arguing that police action alone was insufficient and that “we can work on the prevention side to reduce demand and accessibility.”
Nottingham Trent University’s Belinda Winder hailed the development as a step in the right direction. She questioned how it would function in practise, noting that a balance must be struck between over-blocking – which would make legitimate use of a device difficult – and under-blocking – which fails to detect a large number of abusive images.
