Amazon’s Comprehensive Approach to Combating CSAM
Amazon has dedicated significant resources to combating Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) across its vast array of services. The company’s multi-faceted approach includes investing in cutting-edge technologies, collaborating with law enforcement and industry partners, and implementing robust policies to prevent, detect, and remove CSAM.
Key Measures in Combating CSAM
- Advanced Technologies: Amazon employs a combination of machine learning algorithms, keyword filters, automated detection tools, and human moderators to screen content for policy compliance.
- Amazon Photos: Utilizes Thorn’s Safer technology to detect hash matches of images and verifies positive matches through human reviewers.
- Collaboration with Businesses: Makes Thorn’s Safer technology available to businesses via Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace to help them proactively identify and address CSAM.
- Reporting Mechanisms: Enables users to report inappropriate or illegal content, and acts swiftly on such reports.
- Partnerships: Works closely with hotlines like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to receive and act on CSAM reports.
2024 Highlights
- CSAM Mitigation: Amazon and its subsidiaries collectively submitted 64,195 reports of CSAM to NCMEC, related to content found in 3,959 accounts.
- Detection: Amazon Photos reported 30,778 images (affecting 3,758 accounts) using Safer, marking a 24.8% year-over-year increase.
- Youth Safety Campaign: In collaboration with the producers of the NUDES series, Amazon organized screenings and awareness-raising roundtables at high schools and universities in France to promote online child safety.
- European Union Internet Forum (EUIF): Joined the EUIF to collaborate with industry, law enforcement, and civil society on effective solutions to mitigate CSAM dissemination.
- Mitigating CSAM in AI: Joined the Generative AI Principles to Prevent Child Abuse, implementing measures such as scanning for known CSAM in datasets used for building generative AI models and embedding invisible watermarks on images generated by first-party image models.
Commitments and Partnerships
Amazon engages with various organizations to support their efforts in protecting children, including:
- Endorsing the Voluntary Principles to Counter Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse.
- Being part of the WePROTECT Global Alliance.
- Sitting on the boards of NCMEC and the Tech Coalition.
- Committing to Generative AI Principles to Prevent Child Abuse alongside Thorn and All Tech is Human.
- Providing NCMEC with AWS technology and services to operate mission-critical infrastructure.
- Partnering with Thorn to develop and operate their services, including enhancing Safer Predict and Safer Portal.
Amazon continues to invest in technologies, partnerships, and policies to combat CSAM, reflecting its commitment to being Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company while ensuring the safety of children online.
