Google AI easily detects abusive material today

Google today announced a new artificial intelligence (AI) technology designed to help identify online child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and reduce human exposure to content.

The new Google tool is built on deep neural networks (DNNs) and will be made available for free to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other "industry partners", including other technology companies, through a new Content Security API.

The decision comes as the Internet giant faces a rising heatwave due to its role in helping criminals spread the CSAM over the web. Last week, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt criticized Google for its plans to re-enter China with a censored search engine when it is not supposed to help remove content from child abuse in other parts of the world.


Today UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid has launched a new call to action as part of a government effort to make technology companies like Google and Facebook do more to combat child sexual abuse online. The initiative comes as new figures from the National Crime Agency (NCA) point out that as many as 80,000 people in the UK can pose a threat to children online.