What do we mean by illegal images on the web?
This includes images and text which appear, or you are inadvertently exposed to, on a website which contains any of the following:
- Child abuse images (also known as ‘child pornography’)
- Criminally obscene content which means images featuring acts of extreme and violent sexual activity
- Criminally racist content which may provoke racial hatred by reference to skin colour, race, nationality, or ethnic origin
Don’t ignore it, report it!
If you genuinely stumble across such images accidentally, or are inadvertently exposed to them, you must report them to the IWF.
It is an offence to deliberately seek out illegal images and purposely viewing child abuse images can carry a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Why should I report these images?
Reports from the public help the IWF remove this type of content from the Internet. This makes the internet a safer place for everyone.
Child abuse images reflect the real abuse of a child. Reporting them might help the authorities to trace the offender and rescue a young victim from further abuse.
How do I report?
Go to the IWF website www.iwf.org.uk and complete the step-by-step form. The form is easy to navigate and reports can be submitted anonymously. |
