eModeration joins battle to combat illegal web content::
eModeration, the company specialising in moderating user generated content (UGC), has pledged its support to fight illegal web content by becoming a member of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). The Foundation and its members work with UK industry, Government, the police and the public to help combat illegal online content. The IWF provides the UK’s only authorised Internet hotline where the public can report illegal content – for example, if they have inadvertently come across child abuse images, incitement to racial hatred or criminally obscene content.
eModeration’s CEO, Tamara Littleton, is already a member of the Home Office Sub-Committee, advising the British Government on moderating communities to help safeguard children. She says: “The only way to combat illegal content is for communities, public bodies and the police to all work together and the IWF provides the forum to do this. The rise of user generated content means that the role of moderators in spotting and removing illegal content is huge – and growing.
“Illegal content is an issue not just for law enforcement agencies, but for industry. Brands have a moral and legal duty to protect the users of their site from offensive or illegal content. And of course their reputations could depend on it. This is where moderation services come in.”
Peter Robbins, CEO, IWF, says: “The IWF relies on the support of its members and we are very pleased to welcome eModeration on board. Our significant achievements in the reduction of child abuse content online are a testament to our effective partnership with industry and have led to our self-regulatory approach being seen as a model of success around the world. We look forward to working with eModeration in the future and thank them for their support of our work and aims.”
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About eModeration:
eModeration is an international, specialist user generated content (UGC) moderation company. It provides a comprehensive moderation service to protect brands and sponsors; and also site users, whatever their age and location. The company edits or removes inappropriate content generated by users, such as racism, incitement to hatred, pornography, breach of copyright (including music rights), or potentially libellous material. eModeration’s service helps companies to comply with UK guidelines and US state and federal law, avoiding legal and moral issues arising from unmonitored, illegal content appearing on an online community or user generated space.
The company is headed by CEO, Tamara Littleton, a respected pioneer and authority on UGC moderation. Tamara has an established background in editorial quality control, fault escalation and process management gained from previous work as Product Delivery Director for Chello Broadband, Online Operations Manager for BBC Online and a history in consultancy and publishing. She is a member of the Home Office Sub-Committee, advising the British Government on moderation of communities to help safeguard children. She is also the Chair of e-Mint, the online community for community professionals, and an affiliate member of the International Watch Foundation.
About Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) was formed in 1996 following an agreement between the government, police and the internet service provider industry that a partnership approach was needed to tackle the distribution of child abuse images online.
Essentially the IWF is an independent body operating the only authorised non police 'hotline' in the UK for the public and IT professionals to report their inadvertent exposure to illegal content on the internet. The IWF also provides a universal ‘notice and take-down’ service to any content service provider in the UK so they can remove potentially illegal content from their servers. We work closely with law enforcement agencies at home and abroad to help them trace the publishers of such content.
As a result of these arrangements just 0.4% of potentially illegal child abuse content was apparently hosted in the UK in 2005, down from 18% in 1997.
Please note that the terms "child pornography" or "child porn" can act to legitimise images which are not pornography. Rather, they are permanent records of children being sexually abused and as such should be referred to as child abuse images.
For more information visit our website at www.iwf.org.uk.
Further press information on eModeration:
Malini Majithia / Kate Hartley
Carrot Communications
Tel: 020 7386 4860
E: emoderation@carrotcomms.co.uk
Further press information on IWF:
Sarah Robertson
IWF Communications
Tel: 01223 237700.