IGF 2024 Lightning Talk #5 Child Sexual Abuse in Digital Spaces: Youth and Survivors

Subtheme

Advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age

Theme
Advancing human rights and inclusion in the digital age

IGF Czechia
Natalie Tercova, IGF Czechia, academia, Europe 

Organization's Website
https://igfczechia.eu
Speakers

Natalie Tercova, IGF Czechia, academia, Europe

Onsite Moderator
Natalie Tercova, IGF Czechia, academia, Europe
Rapporteur
Natalie Tercova, IGF Czechia, academia, Europe
SDGs

16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
16.2


Targets: SDG 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

Format

Lightning Talk

Duration (minutes)
20
Description

This lightning talk will explore insights from the background paper, "From Data to Dialogue: Youth Perspectives on Child Sexual Abuse in the Digital Sphere," authored by the session organizers. The speaker will discuss the key takeaways from the paper, such as the prevalence of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) in the digital realm and its impact on victims, highlighting the insights from youth and survivors' perspectives. This session will stress how empowering these groups to participate in governance dialogues can help create safer digital environments.

The talk will be concise and engaging, using visuals and direct quotes from the background paper to make the content accessible and impactful for all attendees. Although formal webcasting is not provided, we plan to use Twitter / X to conduct live tweeting of the session, encouraging online discussions and engagement through a session-specific hashtag.

Key Takeaways (* deadline at the end of the session day)
The prevalence of CSAM has significantly increased in recent years, with alarming trends showing its continued growth.
Victims of CSAM suffer long-term and severe consequences that deeply impact their well-being, including repeated trauma caused by the ongoing sharing of such materials.
The lack of harmonized global legislation makes it challenging to effectively punish perpetrators involved in the creation, hosting, and distribution of CSAM.
Call to Action (* deadline at the end of the session day)
Encourage parents and caregivers to be cautious when sharing sensitive images or information about children and youth, as such materials can be misused for CSAM.
Advocate for more unified, robust legislation and international collaboration to close legal loopholes and ensure that perpetrators face justice.
Session Report (* deadline 9 January) - click on the ? symbol for instructions

The session highlighted the alarming increase in the prevalence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in digital spaces, emphasizing the urgent need for action as trends indicate continued growth. Victims of CSAM endure severe and long-term trauma, with repeated harm caused by the ongoing circulation of these materials. The lack of harmonized global legislation further complicates efforts to hold perpetrators accountable, creating significant barriers to justice.

The discussion called for educating parents and caregivers on the risks of sharing sensitive content involving children, which can be exploited for CSAM. It also stressed the importance of unified global laws and international collaboration to close legal loopholes and ensure perpetrators face appropriate consequences. Engaging diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, youth, survivors, and the tech industry, was identified as crucial to creating effective prevention strategies and supporting victims.