The Police2Peer project works to protect children from abuse by raising awareness about how much abusive material is shared online and by making it more difficult to access real images and videos of abuse.
The project, which has been running since 2017, uploads files to file‑sharing networks (Peer2Peer/P2P) with names that resemble real child sexual abuse material. This is done to show how easy it is to find and share such content on these networks.For someone searching for abusive material on these networks, the files appear genuine because of their filenames. The actual content of the files only becomes visible after they are downloaded and played on the user’s device.In reality, these files contain videos and images with information from the police. The purpose is to inform users about the risks they are taking and the legal consequences of downloading or distributing abusive material – and to increase the perceived risk of detection.The police files are also designed to make it harder to find real abusive material. They ensure that searches return hits on police files instead of illegal content, and they also include links to help people with a sexual interest in children.
Illustration of the map showing where files are downloaded.
The Police2Peer project aims to raise awareness about child abuse and the spread of abusive material, protect children, prevent crime, and provide support to people with a sexual interest in children. In doing so, we contribute to a safer digital environment for everyone.Police2Peer is a Norwegian initiative in cooperation with police units from several European countries. The project is run under the EMPACT framework, which is the EU’s main tool for combating serious and organised crime.Advice and guidanceFor more information, visit the official Europol and EMPACT pages on the topic:
