A chatbot launched by the "Stop It Now!" helpline on Pornhub to prevent users from searching for child sexual abuse material was triggered 11,100 times in its first month, according to figures requested by Flemish MP Freya Perdaens (N-VA) from Flemish Minister Caroline Gennez (Vooruit).
"Stop It Now!" has long offered advice and support to people concerned about their own paedophilic tendencies or those of someone close to them. In August, the organisation launched a pilot project featuring an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot integrated into the Pornhub website.
Previously, users attempting to search for sexually explicit images of minors would see a warning message. Since August, however, the chatbot has taken the intervention a step further by actively engaging with those users.
According to Freya Perdaens, the initial results are "staggering."
"In less than a month, the chatbot was triggered no fewer than 11,100 times," she said. "That means that searches for images of child sexual abuse were made that many times on the site."
Perdaens also highlighted the success of a similar UK project led by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a child protection organisation. The foundation’s chatbot reportedly had a positive impact, leading to a drop in searches for blocked terms, while 82% of users stopped looking for content indicating a sexual interest in minors during the same browsing session.
The final results and conclusions of the Belgian pilot project are expected in December.
"In my view, these figures are the clearest proof that such initiatives are essential, and probably needed on other pornographic sites too," Perdaens said. "Early intervention is crucial to prevent escalation."
