One of the worst cyber crimes in existence in the on-line media is child pornography. This is a very serious crime, which has a ripple effect on the exploited children, their families as well as on those who view such sites. As part of my work related to a safer internet, this is one of the topics that I am following to ensure that we create a safer on-line world for our children.
Several research studies estimate that between 10 per cent and 20 per cent of children in Europe are abused during their childhood. Child pornography is a growing industry and according to research conducted by the 'Internet Watch Foundation,' 1,536 individual child abuse domains were discovered.
According to Europol - the European Union's law enforcement agency - the participation of criminal networks in the running of such sites is on the increase, especially those offering pay-per-view websites. This is of major concern and we need to work harder in order to regulate and strengthen enforcement and to further ensure that more cases are detected and that guilty individuals are brought to justice.
During the 11th Safer Internet Forum, which was organised by the European Commission, this subject was high on the agenda. This Forum discussed the latest trends in child protection on the Internet and the need to ensure a safer online framework for children. I raised these issues during my speech at February's plenary session of the European Parliament. It was with genuine satisfaction that I noted that in the following plenary session, all the different political groups came together to propose a joint motion for resolution in favour of concrete action on the fight against child sexual abuse.
The motion, of which I am a co-signatory, emphasises key principles that I had brought forward to the European Parliament, including the need to educate children through awareness campaigns, self-regulation by the industry and the need to address the new methods of circulation of child sexual abuse materials like the Darknet - the online black market that is accessed through anonymous infrastructures like Torlink.
Nowadays, criminals are using more sophisticated methods when it comes to the distribution of material and payment systems. In fact, they are utilising less conventional payment systems, such as money remitters. Moreover, these criminals are limiting access to their sites by admitting only vetted and carefully selected users. Hence, to connect to such pornographic sites, one would need to acquire the trust of the service provider. Due to the fact that there is more awareness and more enforcement, criminals are more cautious about the software that is being used to share information. Specialised units within European police forces make use of several sources and advanced encryption techniques to ensure anonymity.
Generally, one hears more about crimes and abuse related to conflicts between countries or ethnic groups. There is however, a substantial amount of sophisticated crimes committed in the cyber world. Such crimes target a number of people, including children. When these crimes go unchecked, the influence on children is irreversible, with those affected by such crimes requiring specialised therapy to elevate them from this trauma. It is estimated that around 90 per cent of children make use of the internet. Hence, it is of utmost importance for politicians and decision makers to create the right framework to safeguard minors from online risks.
The results of a recent research study by O'Keefe, Clarke-Pearson and the Council of Communications and Media Paediatrics, showed that 20 per cent of the teen population have sent or posted nude or semi-nude photographs through the use of their mobiles. Sometimes, I feel that we are not sufficiently aware of the extent of this problem. We cannot and must not remain passive when we know that there is a significant minority of children who are lured into such behaviour. This is especially true when we know that there are adults out there who are abusing of their innocence and lack of judgement.
If we do not take action on this 'modern method of criminality', we risk having deep-set social problems affecting families and society in the immediate future. Current media reports cover stories of cyber-crimes, including cyber-bullying, that have resulted in deaths by minors who have taken their own lives due to the added pressures and sadness brought about by online abuse.
Given the cross-border nature of such criminal activity, I believe that the European Union has a very important role (and moral obligation) in the fight against any cyber abuse. As Europeans, we need to ensure that there are several measures taken in all the member states. This needs to be a collective decision between all different countries that will help create a system to ensure that those who are abusing and committing such crimes will be caught in the shortest possible time so as to promptly reduce such cases. Only then will our own children be protected from such crimes and be provided with a secure, safe future, both online and offline, that these children surely deserve.