New eSafety report shows tech companies need to do much more to disrupt and prevent child sexual abuse

Jesuit Social Services commends eSafety on its new transparency report, which makes it clear that some of the world’s biggest tech companies must do more to disrupt the access to and sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ensure their platforms keep children safe. 

The report contains responses from tech giants including Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft in response to questions about how they are tackling problems including child sexual abuse material, livestreamed child sexual abuse and online grooming. While the report highlights some improvements, such as Google fully launching its Sensitive Content Warnings, it also puts a spotlight on gaps such as inadequate detection of live online exploitation and abuse in video calling services. 

“This latest transparency report by eSafety shows that much more needs to be done to make the internet a hostile place for child sexual abuse material,” says Matt Tyler, Executive Director of The Men’s Project at Jesuit Social Services. 

“Last year, Jesuit Social Services in collaboration with the University of Tasmania launched the CSAM Deterrence Centre to support the tech industry to create safer online communities. The CSAM Deterrence Centre is seeking to work with tech companies and other stakeholders – like dating platforms and educational institutions – to help them to design, deliver and evaluate warning messages that disrupt the access and sharing of child sexual abuse material and other forms of exploitation like grooming.” 

Dr Joel Scanlan,  Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Tasmania specialising in cybersecurity and privacy, says research shows that warning messages received online work to shift behaviours. 

“The research is clear that when people receive warning messages alerting them to the legal and ethical consequences of their actions, they’re significantly less likely to continue to seek out illegal content. We call on tech companies to partner with us to work on evidence-based solutions to make their platforms safer for everyone,” says Dr Scanlan. 

Jesuit Social Services’ recent Adolescent Man Box report found that nearly one in 10 teenage boys surveyed had seen a sexually explicit deepfake of somebody they knew, and even more reported their friends would probably create such material. 

Additionally, in 2023 Jesuit Social Services and UNSW published Australian first research which found that 7.6 per cent of Australian men have committed a form of technology-facilitated child sexual abuse such as accessing child sexual abuse material, or having sexual conversations with a child. 

General Manager of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention at Jesuit Social Services, Georgia Naldrett, sees the scale of the challenge we face as part of operating Stop it Now! - Australia’s first and only child sexual abuse prevention helpline for adults worried about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts or behaviours toward children.  

“Child sexual abuse is one of the most significant issues facing the country, and now is the time for tech companies to take proactive steps to protect children from harm and make the internet a safer place,” says Ms Naldrett.