With the new partnership, the IWF can effectively scan Telegram for exact matches of child sexual abuse material in its databases and automatically block it, the IWF said in a news release. Similar tools will also block links to sites known to host such content and identify artificial intelligence-created abuse imagery.

After years of ignoring pleas to sign up to child protection schemes, the controversial messaging app Telegram has agreed to work with an internationally recognised body to stop the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The UK’s Internet Watch Foundation said, Telegram will deploy new tools to proactively prevent child sexual abuse imagery.

Telegram to work with internet watchdog on child sexual abuse material crackdown - The messaging platform will use tools from the Internet Watch Foundation to help detect and remove abuse material.