Reporting CSAM

To ensure that highly critical reports are processed with the utmost speed and accuracy, it is essential to report them correctly. This paradigm is especially important in the case of CSAM reports.

In this document, we will demonstrate the intended use of the CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) report format with several examples. The format currently distinguishes between two types of CSAM reports.

The basic report schema is defined in csam.schema.json and uses the ChildSexualAbuseMaterial report type. This type is designed to be used for links to CSAM, or for reporting IP addresses that are directly sharing CSAM, such as via the BitTorrent protocol.

The second type is defined in csam-links.schema.json and also uses the ChildSexualAbuseMaterial report type, but combined with the report sub-type of Link-Sharing. This report type is intended for reporting something like a forum that distributes links to CSAM.

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Basic Report

This would be a common use case for the basic CSAM report type. ExampleOrg is the entity that created this report, some basic information about this entity is included in the report. Contact information is not required, but we encourage to include it.

If your organization uses a case-id system, that id can be added via the ReporterCaseID property. You can any further information, for example notes about how to verify or access the CSAM, can be added in the ReporterNotes property.

Spoiler warning

{
  "Version": "development",
  "ReporterInfo": {
    "ReporterOrg": "ExampleOrg",
    "ReporterOrgDomain": "example.com",
    "ReporterOrgEmail": "[email protected]",
    "ReporterContactEmail": "[email protected]",
    "ReporterContactName": "Mr. Example",
    "ReporterContactPhone": "+ 01 000 1234567"
  },
  "Disclosure": true,
  "Report": {
    "ReportClass": "Content",
    "ReportType": "ChildSexualAbuseMaterial",
    "Date": "2023-08-05T14:17:10Z",
    "SourceUrl": "https://evil.hoster.com/csam.zip",
    "ReporterNotes": "The zip file requires this password to open: 'example'",
    "ReporterCaseID": "CASE-1234-2023"
  }
}

Link-Share Report

For forums, link-aggregators or other distributors of CSAM.

This schema is equivalent to the basic CSAM report. The only difference is the sub-type.

For the sake of variety, this report has been written by a fictional person, not an organization as in the previous example. No contact information is required to protect the information of the reporter, and to encourage individual reporters to contribute with a low barrier of entry.

Instead, our fictional reporter uses the OnBehalfOf property. With this, they indicate that, even though they themselves have created this report, they might have been hired or contracted by another entity to handle their reports.

Spoiler warning

{
  "Version": "development",
  "ReporterInfo": {
    "ReporterType": "Person",
    "ReporterContactEmail": "[email protected]"
  },
  "OnBehalfOf": {
      "ComplainantOrg": "Parents against CSAM",
      "ComplainantOrgDomain": "parents-against-csam-example.org",
      "ComplainantOrgDomain": "[email protected]"
  },
  "Disclosure": true,
  "Report": {
    "ReportClass": "Content",
    "ReportType": "ChildSexualAbuseMaterial",
    "ReportSubType": "Link-Sharing",
    "Date": "2023-08-05T14:17:10Z",
    "SourceUrl": "https://evil.hoster.com",
    "ReporterNotes": "People on this forum have been distributing links to CSAM since 20XX",
    "ReporterCaseID": "CASE-1235-2023"
  }
}