The information inside them is very dangerous and it’s being passed around to help people hurt children. CSAM doesn’t include the written word, so documents like grooming manuals are not illegal to possess or distribute. The legal definition of child sexual abuse material is photos or videos that depict a child being sexually abused. They learn from grooming manuals and they are unfortunately quite legal. But what is in these files? And how do the predators viewing and trading this material learn how to find and hurt our children? The amount of Child Sexual Abuse Material (referred to by professionals as “CSAM”) floating around in cyberspace is frightening.

Child predators are trading photos, videos, and documents in decentralized and unregulated file sharing networks and chat rooms. Every day Child Rescue Coalition monitors 30-50 million records linked with child sexual abuse, and reports its findings to law enforcement.