Author Archives: John Carr

About John Carr

John Carr is one of the world's leading authorities on children's and young people's use of digital technologies. He is Senior Technical Adviser to Bangkok-based global NGO ECPAT International, Technical Adviser to the European NGO Alliance for Child Safety Online, which is administered by Save the Children Italy and an Advisory Council Member of Beyond Borders (Canada). Amongst other things John is or has been an Adviser to the United Nations, ITU, the European Union, the Council of Europe and European Union Agency for Network and Information Security and is a former Board Member of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety. He is Secretary of the UK's Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety. John has advised many of the world's largest internet companies on online child safety. In June, 2012, John was appointed a Visiting Senior Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. More: http://johncarrcv.blogspot.com

A postcript on the encryption misrepresentation

Posted on October 17, 2021 by John Carr

In the latest “New Scientist” (page 11 of the print version) this heading caught my eye “Spies may be gathering encrypted data to crack with a future quantum computer”. It seems even though today’s 007s (and doubtless others who swim … Continue reading →

Posted in Internet governance, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Child protection delayed is child protection denied

Posted on October 12, 2021 by John Carr

In December 2020, one second after midnight when the new provisions of the European Electronic Communications Code kicked in, Facebook stopped looking for child sex abuse material (csam) across its platforms in all 27 EU Member States.  Historically, a huge … Continue reading →

Posted in Child abuse images, Facebook, Internet governance, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A note about privacy

Posted on October 7, 2021 by John Carr

Several media outlets that major on investigative journalism provide special ways for people to communicate with them.  “Motherboard” is one such. It is part of an online media group called “Vice”. The name is a little misleading. As far as … Continue reading →

Posted in Child abuse images, Facebook, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation | Leave a comment

A PS about scale, proactivity and not listening to the world

Posted on September 26, 2021 by John Carr

I reproduce below an extract from Facebook’s latest “Community Standards Enforcement Report”.  It is for the quarter ended June 2021. Very up to date. Published on 18th August it hardly needs saying there was no appreciable time lag between collecting … Continue reading →

Posted in Facebook, Internet governance, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation | Leave a comment

Strong support for Apple’s breakthrough initiative

Posted on September 23, 2021 by John Carr

Apple’s announcement about how it intends to address the problem of child sex abuse material (csam) being distributed using its devices and services shows what can happen when a serious company puts serious resources behind trying to solve a serious … Continue reading →

Posted in Child abuse images, Facebook, Internet governance, Microsoft, Regulation, Self-regulation | Leave a comment

Age verification on the move. Porn is the target

Posted on August 31, 2021 by John Carr

Yesterday’s Daily Telegraph carried a great piece in which Rachel de Souza, England’s new Children’s Commissioner, makes clear her ambitions for age verification in general but in particular in respect of pornography sites. She obviously believes introducing age verification to … Continue reading →

Posted in Age verification, Default settings, Internet governance, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation | 1 Comment

My letter in today’s Financial Times

Posted on August 12, 2021 by John Carr

Today the Financial Times has published a letter by me in which I applaud Apple’s decision concerning its plans to limit the possibility of child sex abuse material being distributed via their devices or network. I also suggest it will … Continue reading →

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Bravo Apple

Posted on August 10, 2021 by John Carr

There has been great rejoicing at ECPAT International’s global HQ in Bangkok. Last week the work we have been doing with our partners around strong encryption received an enormous boost when Apple made a hugely important announcement about their plans … Continue reading →

Posted in Apple, Child abuse images, Default settings, Facebook, ICANN, Internet governance, Microsoft, Regulation, Self-regulation | 1 Comment

The importance of Clause 36(3), money and general monitoring

Posted on July 19, 2021 by John Carr

OK. I am going to shout it out loud, or rather I am going to put it in writing, in public, which is sort of the same thing. There is a great deal in the UK’s Online Safety Bill (OSB) … Continue reading →

Posted in Child abuse images, Default settings, E-commerce, Internet governance, Regulation, Self-regulation | Leave a comment

Age verification in the EU moving forward

Posted on July 16, 2021 by John Carr

The Advisory Board of euConsent held its first meeting last week. euConsent aims to deliver a framework of standards which will encourage the development of a pan-European network of providers of online age verification and parental consent mechanisms. Hugely important … Continue reading →

Posted in Age verification, Default settings, E-commerce, Internet governance, Pornography, Privacy, Regulation, Self-regulation | Leave a comment