PIR and IWF Expand Free Tools to Registrars to Disrupt Online Child Sexual Abuse Websites

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and Public Interest Registry (PIR) announced an expanded partnership to empower domain name registrars with IWF’s safety tools at no cost. The collaboration aims to disrupt criminal websites that commercially distribute child sexual abuse material (CSAM) by detecting and blocking domain registrations used to host such content. Registrars will gain access to the IWF Domain Alerts program, enabling real-time notifications when CSAM is identified on domains they manage, allowing rapid removal. This expands on a February 2024 sponsorship that previously supported registries with free access to Domain Alerts and the Top-Level Domain Hopping List, improving speed and coordination in taking down harmful sites. Since the initiative began, about 30 registries covering nearly 60 TLDs and over 53 million domains have benefited. Access for registrars is slated for early 2026. The program seeks to reduce the ability of criminals to establish and hop between domains to distribute abuse material, thereby inhibiting the online exploitation economy. Authorities encourage reporting CSAM to IWF and stress anonymity and precise URL submission. PIR emphasizes its mission to support a free and open Internet while combating online child sexual abuse globally.