More than 70 million warnings have been sent to individuals attempting to access child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online over the past two years, according to a leading charity. The digital messages are part of a screening process designed to divert potential offenders toward support and prevent them from accessing harmful and illegal content.
Established by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation (LFF), the initiative named Project Intercept is a partnership between the charity and tech giants including Meta, TikTok, and Google. The project triggers warnings when users employ search terms indicating they are looking for sexual images of children or click links previously reported as containing such material. If engaged with, the messages redirect individuals to self-help resources aimed at helping them stop accessing illicit content.
The charity reported that each month in 2024 and 2025, an average of 28,000 users were redirected to its Stop It Now self-help resources through various gaming, social media, dating, streaming, and AI platforms. Furthermore, the 22 messages reached users from 131 different countries, with nearly 700,000 people clicking through to receive support.
One user, given the pseudonym Ben, was directed to the resources after his searches triggered a Project Intercept message. “After I got the warning, I had a look around on Stop It Now,” he said. “I found the modules on addiction and pornography very helpful. About two months ago I gave up adult sites. I want to keep my mind occupied and more productive.”
Deborah Denis, chief executive at Lucy Faithfull Foundation, stated that the project demonstrates the “enormous” potential to scale this approach. “By placing more warnings across more online spaces, we can disrupt harmful behaviour at the moment it’s happening and prevent countless children from being harmed,” she said. “The need has never been more urgent, particularly as new AI technologies accelerate the spread of online child sexual abuse.”
She added that society “must not leave children to protect themselves” and emphasised the responsibility of adults, especially tech companies, to keep them safe. “We’ve proved it’s possible for tech companies to intervene effectively, preventing people from seeking illegal and abusive images of children and diverting them towards help to change,” she continued. “These warnings don’t simply block harmful content; they offer a clear pathway to support and behaviour change. Now we are calling on tech companies to work with us to scale what works and prevent harm before it happens.”
