Illegal Content

What is illegal content?

Just as criminals operate in the real world, criminal offences are also committed online – both in terms of illegal content and illegal activity.

As a general rule, anything that would be illegal in the real world is illegal in the digital world.

Although it depends on local laws, illegal content in the digital world includes images of child sexual abuse and extreme violence and racist material.

What do I need to know about illegal content?

You need to be aware that your child could access illegal content online.

“[A risk], which parents in Europe fear the most their children may face online, according to a Eurobarometer survey run by the [European] Commission, is exposure to inappropriate or illegal content, such as sexually or violently explicit images, racist content, but also information about self-harm, suicide, and eating disorders” – Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, speaking at Safer Internet Day, February 2009.

A number of organisations are working hard to make the internet a safer place for you and your family. Where illegal content is concerned, the European Union (EU), governments, law enforcement agencies, children’s charities, mobile and internet providers, the education sector and organisations such as the Internet Watch Foundation have been working together for many years to take action against it.

“If you stumble across child sexual abuse images, it’s crucial you report it to us. We are focused on the swift removal of these images and helping the international effort to bring those responsible to justice and rescue children from sexual exploitation.” – Peter Robbins OBE, QPM of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)

The Internet Watch Foundation is one of a number of INHOPE hotlines funded by the European Union (EU) for more than a decade. It has been tasked with minimising the availability of child sexual abuse content hosted anywhere in the world and criminally obscene or racist materials hosted in the UK. Because some of this content is hosted abroad, the IWF works closely with international partners to do this.

If you live in the UK and someone in your family comes across potentially illegal content on the internet, you can report it to the IWF hotline. The IWF works with the police to help trace the individuals responsible and take the appropriate action.

The mobile industry has also taken action. The Mobile Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Content was launched by the GSM Association in February 2008 to prevent users from accessing websites identified as hosting child sexual abuse content.

What can I do about illegal content?

  • Talk to your son or daughter on a regular basis about what they do online and encourage them to come to you if they have any concerns about content they access or view online or if they’re upset by anything they see
  • Set up Parental Controls and Safe Search on your child’s computer based on their age and maturity – but remember, they might not be 100% effective and they aren’t a substitute for parental supervision. You can also get Parental Controls on mobiles, MP3 players, games consoles and other devices
  • If you or your child comes across potentially illegal content on the Web, report it to the relevant internet hotline in your country – it’s the Internet Watch Foundation in the UK
  • If you’re worried that your child – or another child – is in danger, contact the police immediately
  • Read our article about online grooming, where people contact children online with the intention of establishing a sexual relationship
  • If your child would like to speak to someone in confidence about something that has upset them online, they can contact Childline in the UK

Where can I go for more information and support about illegal content?

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What you need to know to get started

  • 5-7 years old

    Technology is part of your child's life before they start primary school. They're probably using the computer, the internet and interactive TV for fun - watching programmes on the CBeebies channel and website or taking part in the Club Penguin chat rooms...but they still need adult guidance and supervision.

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    This is a crucial age for young people to embrace new technologies and develop their ICT skills both at home and at school...and it's a crucial time for you to take control when they start exploring the digital world as well as the real world.

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  • 12-14 years old

    They're at secondary school and growing up fast. It's a time of change and their digital world might seem as important as the real world to them. They might spend their evenings on Bebo, Facebook or MySpace ; watching videos on YouTube and uploading their own for others to watch; or doing research for their homework.

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  • 15+ years old

    Once your children are teenagers, it might be tempting to think that they're tech-savvy and dealing with everything the virtual world can throw at them. You probably watch in awe as they switch from chatting with friends on Facebook to updating their Twitter profile; playing against someone on the other side of the world on their games console to downloading music on their mobile.

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