How the World’S Biggest Dark Web Platform Spreads Millions of Items of Child Sex Abuse Material — and Why It’s Hard to Stop

Abstract

Child sexual abuse material is rampant online, despite considerable efforts by big tech companies and governments to curb it. And according to reports, it has only become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. This material is largely hosted on the anonymous part of the internet — the “darknet” - where perpetrators can share it with little fear of prosecution.

Keywords: cybercrime, child pornography, Tor, dark web,

JEL Classification: K14