[FYI] UK: The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has announced today a tough stance against 51 newsgroups

["Axel H Horns" <horns@ipjur.com>]

http://www.iwf.org.uk/news/archive/detail_news.epl?INFO_ID=144

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PRESS RELEASE   13th November 2002  

13.11.2002  

News Release  

THE NET TIGHTENS FOR ONLINE PAEDOPHILES  

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has announced today a tough 
stance against 51 newsgroups that regularly carry child abuse images 
and a further 25 newsgroups with names that appear to advertise or 
advocate paedophilia. These new policies have been worked out in 
close consultation with, and with the full support of IWF's industry 
funders and are intended to apply to all UK Internet Service-
Providers.  

The IWF is recommending to all UK Internet Service Providers that 
these newsgroups ought to be detached from their newsfeeds and 
servers. These lists are strictly confidential but will be disclosed 
to service providers upon application.  

This information has been gathered following extensive research and 
consultation, underpinned by an independent statistician, impartial 
legal opinion and advice from the Crown Prosecution Service to the 
Home Office.  

Home Office Minister Hilary Benn MP says, “The Government fully 
supports the work of the Internet Watch Foundation in tackling the 
growing problem of child pornography and other illegal content posted 
on the Internet. Child protection is of the highest priority to the 
Government and we welcome the new stance that the IWF has taken on 
newsgroups. There is no justification for any newsgroup containing or 
claiming to contain child pornography."  

Jessica Hendrie-Liano, Chair of Council for the Internet Services 
Providers' Association said, "ISPA and our members share IWF's 
concern over the use of the Internet to carry this illegal material 
and we will continue to support the IWF's valuable activities in 
combating the advertising of child abuse online."  

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Carole Howlett and the Association of 
Chief Police Officers spokeswoman on child abuse issues on the 
Internet said “We are pleased to work in partnership with the IWF to 
help dislocate distribution networks for child abuse images and the 
production of material which sexually exploits children”.  

IWF CEO Peter Robbins says, “We are determined to do everything we 
can to help prevent the dissemination of child abuse images on the 
Internet. This initiative shows a firm commitment by all our partners 
in the Internet industry, from Government, criminal justice agencies, 
and all other supporters, to close down opportunities for paedophiles 
to share child abuse images and information”  

Funding for the IWF is based solely on voluntary subscriptions by 
Internet players and mobile operators including the London Internet 
Exchange (LINX), the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA), 
BTopenworld, Thus, AOL (UK), Cable & Wireless, NTL, Easynet, Yahoo! 
UK & Ireland, Energis, Microsoft MSN, Freeserve, Brightview, Tiscali, 
O2, Network for Online Commerce, and 3. Website sponsored by Kan 
International www.kaninternational.com  

For further information contact: Peter Robbins CEO – IWF 01223 237700 
Roger Darlington Chair – IWF on 020 8904 7522  

[...]  

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