Research Article Pre-Print: Deterring Searches for Child Sexual Abuse Material on Google Search and Promoting Help-Seeking
- Protect Children
- Jun 5
- 1 min read
Deterring Searches for Child Sexual Abuse Material on Google Search and Promoting Help-Seeking
Rebecca Umbach, Griffin Hunt, John Buckley, Joel Scanlan, Caoilte Ó Ciardha, Ethel Quayle, Ainslie Heasman, Maximilian von Heyden, Elizabeth Letourneau, Donald Findlater, Tegan Insoll, Richard Wortley, Chad Steel, Abhishek Roy
Abstract
Google Search deploys a "Onebox" feature at the top of the results page when users conduct searches for Child Sexual Abuse Material. This study evaluates the impact of a strategic shift in this feature, comparing a revised intervention, focused on repercussions and therapeutic resources, to a previous iteration that focused on reporting. Using a difference-in-differences analysis of internal Google Search logs data, we found the new messaging resulted in a 3.8 percentage point reduction as compared to the status quo in subsequent CSAM-related queries within the same Search session. We found an average click through rate of 0.73% on any of the hyperlinked buttons to help-providing resources. Together, this research presents convergent evidence that a subset of individuals can be deterred from ongoing CSAM-seeking and redirected to therapeutic services.
Suggested Citation: Umbach, R., Hunt, G., Buckley, J., Scanlan, J., Ó Ciardha, C., Quayle, E., Heasman, A., von Heyden, M., Letourneau, E., Findlater, D., Insoll, T., Wortley, R., Steel, C., & Roy, A. (2026). Deterring searches for child sexual abuse material on Google Search and promoting help seeking [Preprint]. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2606.06126
