Global agencies have pivoted to target not just individual platforms, but the infrastructure supporting them.

: A German-led international effort involving 23 countries shut down a network of over 373,000 fraudulent dark web sites advertising CSAM and "cybercrime-as-a-service".

Artificial Intelligence has lowered the technical and financial barriers for offenders to produce realistic illegal media at scale.

: In early 2026, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported a 26,362% increase in AI-generated CSAM videos over the previous year.

: A U.S. Department of Justice initiative that rescued over 100 children and led to hundreds of arrests of child sex abuse offenders. 3. Regulatory and Legal Landscape