Taskforce Conference Wraps in Belfast, ASACP Attends

LOS ANGELES —The EU and Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) Conference on Protecting Children Online took place in Belfast, Ireland last week. More than 200 representatives from law enforcement, government, industry and non-government organizations from around the world met to discuss efforts to combat child pornography.

Or, rather, combat “child abuse,” a term Jim Gamble, deputy director general of the National Crime Squad and chairman of the VGT, said should be used to describe pornographic images that feature children.

Using “pornography” to describe such images is confusing, Gamble said, and associates an industry that employs consenting adults with one that profits from “online child abuse activities.”

The VGT has no interest in consenting legal adult entertainment, Gamble added.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, Microsoft, Visa International, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the ASACP were in attendance.

Joan Irvine, executive director for ASACP, said the conference provided a beneficial platform to show the adult industry’s support in the battle against child pornography.

“People were surprised but pleased that the adult entertainment was being proactive in [this] battle, protecting children and establishing best practices,” Irvine said.

While attending a pay-per-view workshop at the conference, Irvine said she was glad to discover that attendees knew who was primarily to blame for child pornography.

“It was good to hear that they know that most of the commercial child porn sites are run by organized crime, especially out of the former Soviet Bloc,” Irvine said.

Irvine said she even briefly spoke with Andrew Oosterbaan, chief of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section under Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez—clearly no friend of the adult industry of late.

“I introduced the ASACP to Mr. Oosterbann and let him know how the adult industry was working to combat child pornography,” Irvine told XBiz. “The conference was beneficial for ASACP. I [also] reconnected with other child porn reporting hotlines that I met at INHOPE.org meetings in the last few years and introduced ASACP to various international law enforcement agencies and companies.

Copyright © 2026 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

UPDATED: Court Approves Class Action in Labor Claims Against VMG

A U.S. district court has granted class certification in a civil lawsuit filed against Vixen Media Group (VMG) by retired performer Kenzie Anne, making it possible for additional performers to join in a class action against the company.

Brazil Invites Public Input on Guidelines for New Digital Law

Brazil’s National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) is soliciting public comments to help improve interpretation and application of the country’s Digital Statute for Children and Adolescents (Digital ECA), which requires adult websites to age-verify users located in Brazil.

UK Outlaws Content Featuring Choking, Adults Portraying Underage Characters

The U.K.’s Crime and Policing Bill received final passage in Parliament on Monday, including provisions criminalizing depictions of “non-fatal strangulation” as well as sexual content in which adults portray underage characters.

Penthouse Wins Trademark Infringement Case Against Fraudulent Domain

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has ruled in favor of Penthouse World Media in a case against a website using an infringing domain.

Meta Restores Playboy Germany Facebook Page After Court Order

The Facebook page of Playboy Germany, the German-language edition of the magazine, is now back online after a two-month suspension by Meta, following an order by the Düsseldorf Regional Court.

UPDATED: European Commission Unveils AV App, Addresses Hacks

The European Commission’s age verification app is now technically ready and will soon be available for EU citizens to use in order to prove their age when accessing online platforms, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Tuesday.

Tennessee Bill Would Require Warnings on Adult Stores

The Tennessee Senate has passed a bill requiring adult stores, theaters and other establishments in the state to post warning signs cautioning patrons that they “may be contributing” to sexual assault and human trafficking.

Canadian Senate Approves National Age Verification Bill

Canada’s Senate on Wednesday passed bill S-209, the “Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act,” which would require commercial adult websites to verify that Canadian users are at least 18 years old.

UK House of Commons Moves to Tone Down Porn Amendments

The House of Commons has modified amendments to the U.K.’s pending Crime and Policing Bill, including provisions regulating “step” content, content featuring adults role-playing as minors, and performers’ ability to withdraw consent.

Final IRS 'No Tax on Tips' Rule Excludes Pornography

The Internal Revenue Service on Monday published final regulations on the “No Tax on Tips” provision included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” offering new tax deductions for tip workers but excluding revenue received for “pornographic activity.”

Show More