IWF Taskforce
In 2021 IWF’s new Taskforce started work. It’s a team of highly skilled Image Assessors trained to the same high standards as our Analysts. They are assessing and hashing (creating unique digital fingerprints) two million Category A and Category B child sexual abuse images. We are able to do this work thanks to a grant from Thorn.
These images come from the UK Government’s Child Abuse Image Database (CAID). Once we’ve assessed and hashed them, we’re able to share them back with UK law enforcement, and also with technology companies and other hotlines to prevent the distribution and upload of this material.
What makes our work unique, is that our Taskforce uses IntelliGrade to do their work. IntelliGrade allows us to enrich these hashes with additional contextual metadata. This offers us new ways in which we can support the global effort to eliminate online child sexual abuse content.
In 2021 the IWF Taskforce assessed 335,215 unique images of child sexual abuse. Each one was hashed and enriched with relevant metadata.
Our Taskforce comprises six Image Assessors and one Quality Assurance Officer. They are restricted to working just four hours a day with mandatory breaks each hour due to the intensive nature of the work.
Welfare is our top priority and you can read more about how we look after our people here.
You can read about a day in the life of an Image Assessor on our website to learn more about the incredible team that does this work, and how they remain resilient and supportive of each other.
“I have always had a passion for helping children. Having children and grandchildren has opened my eyes to the pure volume of abuse that is out there.”
IWF Image Assessor
What our Image Assessors say
“It’s rewarding to be working as part of a team of people from varied backgrounds to help eliminate child sexual abuse material from the internet. Knowing that what you have achieved during the day will go towards preventing children being victimised over and over again is very satisfying.”
“Every time I click my mouse, I know I’m making a difference. You can’t say that for many other jobs.”
“As someone now working as an Image Assessor, I found that the number of images of abuse are far beyond what I ever imagined, and I feel the work we do is crucial in giving children back their childhoods. This has given me a sense of pride that I am part of such an amazing team of people with the same goal of making the internet a safer place.”