Sheila C. Johnston, a board member of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children and co-founder of Black Entertainment Television and Microsoft Corp. of Redmond, Wash., have donated $1 million to launch the Global Campaign Against Child Pornography (GCACP).
GCACP, a funded division of the International Centre, will involve the collaborative work of international law enforcement, organizations and individuals.
“The Internet must remain a place that is safe and conducive to learning, not an instrument for criminals,” Microsoft spokeswoman Nancy Anderson said.
The announcement, made Thursday at a press conference in Dublin, Ireland, was attended by key international law enforcement representatives.
Johnston and Microsoft each donated $500,000 to fund the group, which is providing four-day training sessions in combating computer-facilitated crimes against children with law enforcement officers from nearly 90 countries. It plans as many as 10 training sessions per year.
GCACP says it will create an international child pornography monitoring and oversight system and develop and promote systems for identifying the victims of child pornography, as well as develop new legislation and ensure consistency of laws between nations.
