Internet Watch Foundation

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**Internet Watch Foundation**
Detail of IWF's front page at http://www.iwf.org.uk/. The site's layout is composed to emphasize the "Report Illegal Content" button at center screen.
URL	http://www.iwf.org.uk/
Commercial?	No
Type of site	Internet watchdog group
Registration	No
Owner	Internet Watch Foundation
Created by	Internet Watch Foundation

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is a UK organisation.

1 History
2 The Website
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] History

It was formed in 1996 following an agreement between the government, police and the internet service provider industry after the police were concerned that some ISPs may be prosecuted for hosting child pornography. [1]. An agreement was faciliated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) between some ISPs, the Metropolitan Police, the Home Office and a body called the "Safety Net Foundation" (which had been founded by the Dawe Charitable Trust). In September 1996 this agreement - signed by the Internet Service Providers Association and UK infrastructure organisation LINX, and the Safety Net Foundation came into being. The Safety Net Foundation was renamed as the Internet Watch Foundation.

In 1999 the organisation was reviewed for UK government departments the DTI and the Home Office which led to changes in its structure and role.

[edit] The Website

The Internet Watch Foundation's website offers a web-based government-endorsed method for reporting suspect online material and remains the only such enterprise in the United Kingdom. It acts as a relevant authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Section 46 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (meaning that its officers will not be prosecuted for looking at illegal content in the cause of their duties) [2]. It is concerned with three major categories of material: