TrustyFiles announces new reporting system to protect children. Update: DCIA CEO Marty Lafferty addresses some key concerns.
Sickos beware…
Razor Pop, parent company of TrustyFiles, has launched a program aimed at curbing illegal forms of pornography. In a press release issued today, TrustyFiles version 2.4 will incorporate several features that is hoped will protect children and deter disturbed intervals from taking advantage of the relative anonymity of the Internet.
However, in order for such a system to work, it needs the participation of the end user. If and when a suspected file referring to an illegal form of pornography turns up in an individual’s search results, the user is encouraged to report that file to the Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection (ASACP.)
“TrustyFiles makes it simple for file-sharing users to report child pornography. Users click the offending file in their search results, downloads, or shared files, select the Report Child Exploitation command, and confirm their report. The report is automatically sent to the P2P PATROL’s child-pornography lead processing resource (http://cphotline.org); all reports are anonymous. TrustyFiles software also features a warning message when a user enters a search term known to be associated with child pornography. Resources and instructions for using TrustyFiles child-pornography reporting feature can be found at http://trustyfiles.com/help-child-protection.php.”
This system marks the first attempt by a file-sharing developer stem illegal forms of pornography. However, it is not the first time such an effort has been launched in the name of P2P. Approximately five years ago, Zeropaid.com had a similar effort named the “Wall of Shame.” If an individual was sharing a suspected form of illegal pornography, the IP address was publicly posted. While any kind of enforcement against such an individual was unlikely, TrustyFiles’ concept holds the potential to pack more of a punch.
Update: Slyck spoke with Marty Lafferty, CEO of the DCIA (Distributed Computing Industry Association, trade group which TrustyFiles belongs to) regarding a key issue. The topic was raised whether such a technology that reports illegal pornography could be used to report copyrighted material. However, Marty tells Slyck that such a tactic would be typical of copyright holders who often try to throw a good deed in the face of P2P developers.
“The automated reporting system being introduced by P2P PATROL to help file sharers combat child pornography would not be usable for copyrighted commercial works.”
“While it is possible to provide focused guidelines and specific tools to help file sharers avoid child pornography, and to distinguish merely offensive material from content inadvertently encountered online that is in fact criminally obscene, it would not be practical to do precisely that to help users distinguish authorized or public domain content from unlicensed copyrighted works. It is too broad an area to address in that manner.”
“In addition, there is no resource to receive, process, and analyze the data that would be gleaned using the automated reporting process for users voluntarily reporting copyrighted material — as there is for child pornography.”
“You also referenced the warning system, and I’ll explain why that would not be effective for copyrighted works.”
“The P2P PATROL deterrence program is designed to help P2P users who may be on the fringe of becoming associated with online child pornography to turn back. It is currently based on delivering pop-up warning messages in response to entering a relatively small number of search terms known by law enforcement to be associated with child pornography. Because such terms may also be used for legitimate searches, and due to technical considerations, these warning messages do not interfere with completing the search, however.”
“Since every word in the language could be used in the title or in the metadata to describe one or more copyrighted works, it would be impractical – and totally vitiate any deterrent impact – to have a copyright warning appear in response to every single search term entered by users. And again, CDWG participants and other responsible P2P software providers already do provide copyright warnings more appropriately tailored to addressing that issue.”
