Authorities in eastern France have arrested 37 individuals suspected of downloading and distributing child pornography after uncovering more than one million illegal photos and videos. The investigation, led by the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regional gendarmerie, involved a team of 270 officers, including 36 cybercrime specialists.
Since November, the gendarmerie has been working to track down suspects linked to the illegal distribution of explicit content involving minors. As part of the investigation, officials seized a significant amount of equipment, including 60 computers, 290 hard drives, 27 mobile phones, eight tablets, and four cameras. In addition to the digital devices, authorities also discovered weapons and drugs at four of the arrested individuals’ locations.
This recent operation follows a similar bust in March 2023, when 17 individuals were detained in the same region for similar offenses.
The arrests come as France has recently introduced stricter laws to combat child pornography. Last May, the French government passed legislation requiring online platforms to remove child pornography within 24 hours of a police report. Failure to comply can result in a prison sentence of up to one year and fines of up to €250,000, with the penalties escalating for repeated offenses.
Additionally, the new law mandates that websites and video-sharing platforms implement age verification systems to prevent minors from accessing adult content.
While these efforts are seen as progress, debates continue across Europe regarding the regulation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). A proposed law that would enable digital platforms to scan encrypted communications for illegal material has caused political division. While supporters argue it would help detect and prevent child abuse, a number of EU countries oppose it, citing concerns over privacy and data security.
The surge in child exploitation material is compounded by the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate such content. The Internet Watch Foundation, a UK-based charity, has warned of a disturbing rise in AI-generated images and videos of child abuse. The foundation’s concerns reflect the growing complexity of addressing child sexual abuse material in the digital age.
