Project description
Machine learning tools and techniques to fight child sexual exploitation
The distribution of child sexual exploitation materials is an abhorrent crime. Online service providers' and users’ suspicious material detection technologies are improving. However, the huge amount of referrals collected by law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in combination with limited human resources, manual analysis and the 4 000 % increase in referrals since 2014 prevent their investigative capacity. The EU-funded GRACE project will apply proven techniques in machine learning to the referral and analysis elaboration while appropriately managing the technical, ethical and legal challenges unique to fighting child sexual exploitation. The project will use resources from EUROPOL and its nine Member State LEAs to provide early, frequent and flexible results that will be handed back to EUROPOL and Member State LEAs, helping to ensure their future technological autonomy.
Objective
The use of the Internet to distribute CSEM is an abhorrent crime. Referrals from Online Service Providers are key to fighting CSE. OSPs, detection technologies and users reporting suspicious material are improving. However, this leads to an increase in the sheer volume of referrals coupled with the increase in the distribution of CSEM online that is pushing MS LEAs to their limits and affecting their their capacity to prevent harm to infants and children, rescue those in immediate danger, and investigate and prosecute perpetrators. The NCMEC process has improved LEA capability. But, a typical CSE case contains 1-3 TBs of video, 1–10 million images. Limited human resources, manual analysis and the 4,000% increase in referrals since 2014 obligates a new approach. GRACE will apply proven techniques in ML to the referral and analysis process while embracing the very technical, ethical and legal challenges unique to fighting CSE. GRACE will leverage resources already in place at EUROPOL and its 9 MS LEAs and attempt to provide results early, frequently and flexibly, prioritising easy wins in the research plan (e.g. deduplication). By applying Federated Learning approach to the challenge of optimising analysis and information flow, GRACE will enable cooperation between LEAs in improving their own capabilities and harness experiential knowledge. The results of GRACE will be handed back to EUROPOL and MS LEAs for unrestricted use in their missions, helping to ensure their future technological autonomy.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- H2020-EU.3.7. - Secure societies - Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens Main Programme
- H2020-EU.3.7.1. - Fight crime, illegal trafficking and terrorism, including understanding and tackling terrorist ideas and beliefs
- H2020-EU.3.7.8. - Support the Union's external security policies including through conflict prevention and peace-building
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
20009 Donostia San Sebastian
Spain
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
Participants (22)
D8 Dublin
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1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
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S1 1WB Sheffield
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57001 Thermi Thessaloniki
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28071 Madrid
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
28040 Madrid
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50733 Koln
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
1081 Nicosia
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75800 Paris
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81677 Munich
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00144 ROMA
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22006 Nicosia
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2517 KK Den Haag
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020123 Bucuresti
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1000 029 LISBOA
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02-624 Warszawa
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08303 Vilnius
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1120 Bruxelles / Brussel
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1149-019 Lisboa
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34100 Chalkida
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
24004 Leon
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9723ZA Groningen
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.