Telegram Partners with IWF to Scan and Block Child Sexual Abuse Material

Dec 4, 2024, 01:40 PM

Telegram, a messaging platform known for its resistance to content moderation, has agreed to collaborate with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This partnership marks a significant shift for Telegram, which has historically been criticized for its lack of action against such content. The IWF, based in Britain, maintains a database of images related to child abuse and provides tools for technology platforms to automatically identify and remove this material. The agreement allows the IWF to scan Telegram for exact matches of CSAM in its databases and block it automatically. This move has been described as 'transformational' by the IWF, signaling the beginning of a 'much longer journey' in addressing this issue on the platform. Telegram's decision to join the IWF's program is the first of its kind for the platform, reflecting a change in its approach to content moderation.