Online Warning Messages for CSAM Prevention: Evidence and Practice Mapping Report

Online warning messages are a promising tool to tackle use of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Evidence shows that well-designed messages can disrupt offending, deter CSAM seeking, and encourage help-seeking.

This report reviews current international literature and practice on deterrence and help-seeking messaging to map existing approaches. It finds that implementation remains uneven and research gaps persist, and identifies priorities for further evidence.

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Cite this report

Protect Children. (2025). Online Warning Messages for CSAM Prevention: Evidence and Practice Mapping. www.protectchildren.fi/en/post/online-csam-warnings-report

Contributors

This report was prepared for Protect Children by Tegan Insoll¹, Dr Joel Scanlan², Dr Caoilte Ó Ciardha³, Dr Juha Nurmi⁴, Valeriia Soloveva¹, Emily May¹, Anna Ovaska¹, and Nina Vaaranen-Valkonen¹.

¹ Protect Children

² CSAM Deterrence Centre, University of Tasmania

³ University of Kent

⁴ Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences, Tampere University