The Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP) has long valued its close working relationships with global law enforcement agencies and the mutual benefit that these channels nurture. Additionally, maintaining ties with legislators ensures that all decision makers are aware of the cultural, legal and technical limitations of online child protection in an era when nearly every minor it seems carries the Internet in their pocket.
Fostering connections with all relevant stakeholders helps ASACP protect children while safeguarding the interests of the online adult entertainment industry: by —among other things— providing a steady stream of “Red Flag” reports to authorities and other relevant agencies, along with various forensic services of use to investigators and the criminal justice system, criminals are brought to justice; while the association offers authorities and other relevant agencies support in way of educational and support services to help them better understand the workings of the legitimate and legal adult entertainment industry.
ASACP’s business is as much about protecting your business as it is about protecting the children.
The past few months have been exceptionally busy for ASACP experiencing a surge in reports of suspected child pornography (CP) received through its CP Reporting Hotline as well as increased calls for assistance regarding specific international investigations by authorities. Recently, I was also called upon to serve as an expert witness at an overseas trial, a task I have been asked to perform many times in the past.
Since 2003, ASACP’s CP Reporting Hotline and related data collection and analysis program has played an important role in protecting children and online adult entertainment businesses —processing more than 635,000 reports of suspected child pornography and forwarding over 95,000 confirmed “Red Flag” incidents to relevant authorities.
Many people outside of the organization do not realize just how frenzied daily activity usually is behind the scenes at ASACP. ASACP is frequently called upon to assist its members and sponsors, the mainstream Internet community, public and government organizations, as well as judicial representatives and law enforcement. ASACP —with very modest funding, accomplishes with distinction, all of these tasks and challenges with a very small but dedicated and expert team.
Due to the nature of the work the hotline accomplishes, it is usually not possible for ASACP to make public any details surrounding the reports, investigations or assistance it provides. One memorable exception is last year’s takedown of the notorious CP forum Dreamboard, with charges laid internationally, where users shared images of child sexual abuse equivalent to 16,000 DVDs of content.
In 2012, ASACP is continuing its mission of protecting children from online child abuse while addressing the false accusations surrounding the involvement of the legitimate adult entertainment industry in this horrific trade. These problems still need to be fought today —a fight that can only be waged through the continued support of sponsors, members and contributors like you.
ASACP’s business is as much about protecting your business as it is about protecting the children. This duality of missions allows ASACP to keep children out of and away from adult entertainment, while ensuring that this message of responsible adult industry self-regulation is heard both domestically and abroad. For nearly 16 years, supported by sponsor and membership fees as well as by donations to its Foundation, ASACP has been at the forefront of online childprotection on behalf of the online adult entertainment industry. I want to thank all those that have and continue to support us even in this challenging economic climate. Your support does allow ASACP to have a real and meaningful impact on children’s lives around the world, while at the same time protecting your business and the legitimate and legal adult entertainment industry at large.
For more information on how you can help, please visit the ASACP website (www.asacp.org) or email tim@asacp.org
