Thorn

🚨 109 children removed from harm in major operation Our partner Det. Michael Fontenot and his team at the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children task force just announced extraordinary results from a recent joint task force operation: ✅ 109 children removed from harm ✅ 200+ arrests ✅ 1,130 devices seized ✅ 213 terabytes of data processed ✅ 244 perpetrators charged Det. Fontenot shared with us that Thorn's technology was critical to this success. Just this week, he shared his story with our community, detailing how Thorn Detect helps his team identify more child victims more quickly. "Before Thorn, we would have had to spend weeks categorizing those files. With Thorn, we did it in under four hours." Every minute counts in child protection. Every investigator empowered with technology matters. Every supporter makes this possible.

In 2024, with the support of our donors and partners, we made a profound impact on child safety. Our work touched on child victim identification, technology platform safety, and uncovering insights from original research into emerging online threats to children. Together, these impacts help build a digital safety net to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. Our multifaceted approach includes understanding the scope of the issue and helping accelerate the response of platforms, investigators, and the child protection community. Check out our 2024 Impact Report to see how we connected the child safety ecosystem, and how your support helped us move the mission forward, transforming how children are protected from sexual abuse and exploitation in the digital age. https://lnkd.in/gBHXf9Cs

"It was the most disturbing content I've seen in my 19-year career. The phone had over 200,000 media files on it. This is where Thorn changed everything." In the face of exploding caseloads—from 6,000 to 34,000 cyber tips annually—Detective Michael Fontenot and his team of just six investigators were drowning in horrific evidence until Thorn transformed how they identify child victims. "Before Thorn, we would have had to spend weeks categorizing those files. With Thorn, we did it in under four hours." In one case involving an infant victim, Thorn Detect processed 200,000 files and identified 8,000 files of suspected child sexual abuse material in hours, work that would have consumed weeks of traumatic human review. Hear from Detective Fontenot about the life-changing difference your support makes in our 2024 Impact Report. https://lnkd.in/gkmuWqWV

The CyberTipline received 20.5 million reports in 2024, including nearly 63 million files—images, videos, and other materials related to child sexual exploitation. Each report, file, and incident reflects a child who has been harmed. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline Report reveals that—although we’re making big strides of progress—the scale of abuse remains staggering. Key takeaways: 📈 Online enticement reports rose 192%, likely driven by new reporting mandates in the REPORT Act. 🤖 AI-generated child sexual abuse material (AIG-CSAM) spiked 1,325%, signaling an urgent need for safety by design measures. ⚠️ Reports linked to violent online groups grew 200%, with most flagged by the public (such as parents and caregivers), not platforms. Thorn will continue to push for more proactive solutions, safer tech design, and stronger collaboration to protect kids online. ⬇️ Read our full analysis of the report at the link below in the comments.

“There’s no technical reason it has to be this easy.” That’s what our VP of Data Science, Dr. Rebecca Portnoff, told CBS’ Nicole Valdes in a recent segment on the growing threat of sextortion—specifically the kind enabled by openly available AI tools. Rebecca explains how anyone, even those with no technical background, can now create synthetic nudes of children using this technology. And she makes clear that this isn’t inevitable. We can still change the trajectory: “If a model is trained responsibly—without child sexual abuse material, without mixing benign images of children with adult sexual content—it becomes far harder for offenders to misuse it downstream.” The segment highlights that Thorn’s #SafetyByDesign initiative outlines the guardrails developers can implement now to prevent abuse later. We’re proud to see these ideas gaining traction—and grateful to CBS for highlighting the urgent need for action. Watch the full segment: https://lnkd.in/g8Gx23Ds

In 2024, thanks to the help of our supporters, Thorn made an incredible impact: - 4,162,256 child sexual abuse material files detected - 11 companies committed to Safety by Design principles - 60+ companies using Thorn’s CSAM detection products - 36 countries where Thorn victim identification tools are used See all that we achieved together in the full 2024 Impact Report, and discover how Thorn is transforming how children are protected from sexual abuse and exploitation in the digital age. https://lnkd.in/gT5zT_2j

Working in online child safety is difficult, and “putting on your own oxygen mask first” is great advice from Aaron R., Head of Trust & Safety at Bluesky. Safe Space, our podcast that highlights the people working to make the internet safer, is launching its second season with this insightful conversation. Our guests are working hard to create safer online communities, identifying emerging harms and putting technology to work to protect children. John Starr, host of Safe Space, helps listeners understand the journeys of these dedicated professionals. He finds out what led them to where they are, and what motivates them to make technology a force for good. Listen to the first episode of season two wherever you get your podcasts.

2024 was a pivotal year in child safety, with threats like financial sextortion growing and generative AI going mainstream and creating new vulnerabilities for perpetrators to exploit. But Thorn met these threats head-on, with a wide range of initiatives that provided data-driven understanding, cutting-edge technology, and purpose-built solutions. Julie Cordua, our CEO, is excited to share our 2024 Impact Report with you and introduce our next chapter with a new mission: to transform how children are protected from sexual abuse and exploitation in the digital age. Check out her message to learn why we are building a digital safety net for children with cutting-edge technology, original research and collaborative partnerships.

Digital spaces offer connection and creativity—but without safeguards, they can also expose children to serious risks. That’s why the Archewell Foundation’s Parents’ Network plays such an important role. This community supports fellow parents and caregivers whose child has been affected by social media harms. Through shared stories and advocacy, they boldly raise awareness and push for powerful, meaningful change. Earlier this year, these efforts took the form of “The Lost Screen,” a 24-hour memorial art installation honoring the lives of children lost to online harm. 50 glowing smartphones, each one showing a lock screen photo, stood in silence—a deeply moving tribute to young lives cut short by digital dangers. The movement for online child safety takes many forms—through art, advocacy, grief, and action—and each one plays a critical role. We’re grateful for the dedicated efforts of the Parents’ Network and the important community they’ve built to reshape a better digital world. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g5yk7k3D Video: Archewell Foundation

Two leaders of the violent online group 764 have been arrested—a major step in exposing one of the most extreme child exploitation networks to date. 764 operated in plain sight, using platforms like Discord, Roblox, Minecraft, Telegram, and Instagram to groom children, coerce them into creating explicit content, and then extort them into acts of escalating harm. The goal wasn’t money. It was control, cruelty, and trauma. Dark-web groups like 764 have reached across continents to victimize countless children and operate through coordinated abuse. With the help of our cause community and network of partners, Thorn is working to put an end to this kind of abuse through cutting-edge technologies, child victim identification solutions, and resources to help adults recognize grooming before it escalates. This takedown matters. But there is more for each of us to do.