Child Pornography and the Internet

Some individuals use online technologies to facilitate or commit criminal activities. Online criminal sexual behaviors include viewing illegal pornography, sexual solicitation of minors, prostitution, and indecent exposure. Most detected online sex offenders are convicted of downloading or possessing child pornography, and viewing child pornography is the most frequently reported form of child sexual abuse.

Though it is well established that child pornography pre-existed the Internet, the Internet has facilitated its dissemination and eased access. In 2015, the Internet Watch Foundation reported a 417% increase in reports of child sexual abuse images and video over the previous 2 years. The Internet Watch Foundation estimated in that report that 68,092 URLs and 448 online newsgroups contained child pornography, and the typical image represented a girl under the age ...