Blocking abusive content online
Uncovering how Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) can unintentionally serve child sexual abuse material (CSAM)—and how using this knowledge can help stop its spread.
USC Completed 2022
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Partners
With online CSAM growing exponentially, we stepped in to help find ways to stop its spread.
The internet’s backbone was built for speed and security—but those same systems can also enable the spread of harmful material. So Thorn—a non-profit working to protect children from online sexual abuse—partnered with us to understand how CSAM is shared, who is sharing it, and what can be done to disrupt it.
Our findings provide a roadmap for Thorn, CDN providers, and law enforcement to work together and react faster when harmful content is discovered. Thorn is now using this knowledge to design tools and strategies that strengthen the global fight against CSAM.
Meet the project team
Doug Messer
Project Manager
Researcher
Wes Hardaker
Project Lead
USC Viterbi Information Sciences Institute
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