April 8th: Microsoft releases new software to track CP creators

[Squirt]

TORONTO -- Microsoft and Canadian authorities on Thursday launched a software program designed to help police worldwide hunt down child porn traffickers by enabling authorities for the first time to link information such as credit card purchases, Internet chat room messages and arrest records.

Microsoft said the Child Exploitation Tracking System is the first software designed specifically to capture pornographers who prey on children and sell their images via the Internet. It will allow police departments worldwide to share and track previously unlinked information on investigations and suspects.

David Hemler, president of Microsoft Canada, said Internet pornographers were computer savvy, so the program would put law enforcement officials "on the same level as the bad guys."

The open source program was developed by Microsoft Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Toronto police, with the help of the Department of Homeland Security, Scotland Yard and Interpol.

The FBI has seen a 2,000 percent increase in the number of child pornography images on the Internet since 1996 and Canadian police estimate that more than 100,000 Web sites contain images of child sexual abuse. Experts say at least 95 percent of victims are abused by someone they know, either a relative or neighbor.

FULL STORY

FINALLY! Woo hoo! Do you guys think this is a publicity stunt or the program will really work?

[longboardjim]

As With Everything , It Only Works If You Apply It , And In Most Cases As Long As "The Funding" Doesn't Run Out! :hmmph:

Sincerely ~ ..."Send Me An Mountie..Err..Angel , Right Now"... :2ymca:

[Squirt]

As With Everything , It Only Works If You Apply It , And In Most Cases As Long As "The Funding" Doesn't Run Out! :hmmph:

Sincerely ~ ..."Send Me An Mountie..Err..Angel , Right Now"... :2ymca:

Good point!

I hope they apply it. With all the crackdowns with Visa and processors you'd think it would be next to impossible to have those sick sites still in existance. Sad

[Lee]

Whilst this (on the face of it) seems to be setup for good reasons, i cant help but to wonder whether this is also going to be used to prosecute legal webmasters too.

If this software can track CP, it can almost certainly differentiate and track, regular pornography too.

Just a thought.

Regards,

Lee

[jIgG]

an all kinds of other things as well, not just porn

[Top Cat]

The FBI has seen a 2,000 percent increase in the number of child pornography images on the Internet since 1996 and Canadian police estimate that more than 100,000 Web sites contain images of child sexual abuse.

...and the State Department is riddled with known communists who are seeking to destroy our way of life and must be rooted out!

Come on, to me this is just another example of government taking a real but small issue and using it to increase surveillance and monitoring of everything we do, especially online. Sorry but I prefer not to give up some of my freedoms to ensure that photos of 17-year-old kids (remember, "child porn" includes anyone under 18) aren't circulated on the Internet. And frankly, I have little doubt that those numbers are simply "estimated" (or just plain made up) and include sites without legal documentation of models' ages...though it doesn't mean they aren't 18.

Especially considering our current administration and the "family values" garbage, this is simply a way for the government to demonize pornography and confuse the issue...pornography=kiddy porn=should be banned.

OK, I feel better now. Maybe I shouldn't have had that fifth cup of coffee.

[Squirt]

Come on, to me this is just another example of government taking a real but small issue and using it to increase surveillance and monitoring of everything we do, especially online.

That's a really good point. I think the figure of 100,000 child porn sites on the net is way off base. When they give a 100,000 number of sites I assume that means 100,000 different domain names, not pages.

Even 1 child porn site is too much. I hope they use this technology for what it's made for.

It seems every Republican administration that comes along ALWAYS takes more rights away, gives more to the rich and goes to war. I'm not associated with any political party, I'm just speaking on the trends I've noticed.

My question is... if the government knows 100,000 URLS of child porn sites... why are they still active? All they have to do is contact ICANN and have the domain suspended right?