Thread by @nytimes

Last year, tech companies reported over 45 million online photos and videos of children being sexually abused. More than double the previous year.

This is the first part of an investigative series on child sexual abuse. It contains graphic descriptions. nyti.ms/2nHuqwk

20 years ago, the online images were a problem.
10 years ago, an epidemic.
Now, the crisis is at a breaking point.

The images are horrific. Children, some just 3 years old, being sexually abused and in some cases tortured. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

In interviews, victims across the U.S. described in heart-wrenching detail how their lives had been upended by the abuse. Adults, now years removed from their abuse, still live in fear of being recognized from photos and videos on the internet. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

While global in scope, the online child sex abuse problem is firmly rooted in the U.S. because of the role Silicon Valley plays in both the spread and detection of the material.

Here are some key takeaways from our investigation. nyti.ms/2omnjdr

Reports of child sexual abuse imagery are escalating. Arrests have increased. But funding is almost flat. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

In a particularly disturbing trend, online groups are devoting themselves to sharing images of younger children and more extreme forms of abuse. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

The U.S. Congress passed a law in 2008 that foresaw many of today’s problems, but we found that the federal government had not fulfilled major aspects of the legislation. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

Separately, the Department of Homeland Security this year diverted nearly $6 million from its cybercrimes units to immigration enforcement — depleting the units of 40% of their budget until the final month of the fiscal year. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

Law enforcement agencies are struggling to keep up. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

About 1 of every 10 agents in Homeland Security’s investigative section — which deals with all kinds of threats, including terrorism — is assigned to child sexual exploitation cases, a clear indication of how big the problem is. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

When reviewing tips from the national center, the FBI has narrowed its focus to images of infants and toddlers.

Tech companies can take months to respond to subpoenas or warrants. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

Facebook Messenger was responsible for nearly 12 million reports of illegal images of child sex abuse last year — by far the largest single source, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the total reports in 2018. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

This investigation by @mhkeller and @gabrieldance revealed a criminal underworld that preys on society’s youngest and most defenseless, while exploiting the ill equipped efforts to contain them. nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

@mhkeller @gabrieldance Our investigation exposed how images of child sex abuse have reached a crisis point on the internet. Less is understood about the issue underlying it all: What drives people to sexually abuse children? Science has begun to provide some answers. nyti.ms/2m3SqcJ

@mhkeller @gabrieldance "Each and every image is a depiction of a crime in progress," said Sgt. Jeff Swanson, commander of a child cybercrime task force in Kansas. "The violence inflicted on these kids is unimaginable." nyti.ms/2mOyXNE

@mhkeller @gabrieldance To report online child sexual abuse, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678. report.cybertip.org