Financial and Internet Industries to Combat Internet Child Pornography

Alexandria, Virginia, March 15, 2006 -- Eighteen of the world's most prominent financial institutions and Internet industry leaders have joined with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and its sister organization, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) in the fight against Internet child pornography. The goal is to eradicate commercial child pornography by 2008.

The new Financial Coalition Against Child Pornography includes leading banks, credit card companies, third party payment companies and Internet services companies. Founding members of the Coalition include America Online, American Express Company, Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, Discover Financial Services LLC, e-gold, First Data Corporation, First National Bank of Omaha, MasterCard, Microsoft, North American Bancard, PayPal, First PREMIER Bank/PREMIER Bankcard, Standard Chartered Bank, Visa, Wells Fargo, and Yahoo! Inc.

The Coalition will work in collaboration with Child Focus of Belgium, the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children, the International Association of Internet Hotlines (INHOPE), the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and law firm DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary.

Child pornography has become a multi-billion dollar commercial enterprise and is among the fastest growing businesses on the Internet. The Internet has enabled instant access to child pornography by thousands and possibly millions of individuals around the world. And the ability to use credit cards and other payment methods has made purchasing child pornography easy.

Senator Richard C. Shelby (R-AL), Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, was the catalyst in bringing these industry leaders together to address the problem. In challenging them to join with NCMEC and ICMEC in this effort, Senator Shelby said, "sIf people were purchasing heroin or cocaine and using their credit cards, we would be outraged and would do something about it. This is worse."

The exact number of child pornography web sites is difficult to determine. In 2001, the CyberTipline operated by NCMEC had received more than 24,400 reports of child pornography. By the beginning of 2006, that number had climbed to more than 340,000.

"Not only have we seen an increase in reports of Internet child pornography, but the victims are becoming younger and the images are becoming more graphic and violent," said Ernie Allen, President and CEO of NCMEC and ICMEC, and Chairman of the Coalition. "To eliminate the commercial viability of child pornography, we must stop the flow of money. To do that, we need the involvement of the world’s leaders in the payments industry and the Internet. The founding members of the Financial Coalition Against Child Pornography are to be commended for joining this critical fight."

If members of the public have knowledge of a child pornography web site they are encouraged to report it immediately to the CyberTipline managed by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (www.cybertipline.com or 1-800-843-5678). Citizens outside the United States can call the CyberTipline or can contact any number of hotlines around the world. To learn more about these hotlines, visit the website of the International Association of Internet Hotlines (INHOPE) at www.inhope.org.

About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

NCMEC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC's congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 365,600 leads. Since its establishment in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 117,100 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 99,500 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit www.missingkids.com.

About the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children

ICMEC, the sister organization of NCMEC, is a private, nonprofit 501 (c) (3) nongovernmental organization. It is the leading agency working on a global basis to combat child abduction and exploitation. For more information visit www.icmec.org.

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