Tuesday, Oct 9, 2007    Text size: 

The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating child pornography from the Internet, operates an online reporting hotline that can help report child pornography.

When reporting child sexual exploitation it could be just as important to know what not to do as it is to know what to do, a representative said, in order to not become criminally liable for the possession or distribution of child pornography.

ASACP offers the following steps:

• Record the URL
• Make notes of anything you noticed before you left the page (i.e. victim’s age)
• Report it immediately — go to ASACP.org or CyberTipLine.com
• If you can identify the child immediately call your local FBI office

What not to do:

• Do not download it
• Do not save it
• Do not print it
• Never forward it — not even to law enforcement or a hotline
• Never attempt to research it yourself
• Never attempt to seek out child pornography even if your purpose is for research or to report
• Do not revisit the site, not for any reason (even if you want to go back to get the URL to report it)

Any of these activities are illegal and regardless of your intentions you could be legally responsible, according to ASACP.

For more information, visit ASACP.org.