The websites were reported to the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland’s Hotline.ie website by a member of the Irish public.
Hotline.ie analysts confirmed the images were illegal under Irish law and found that the site was part of a network of related sites.
All contained illegal images of children being sexually abused.
Investigators determined the sites had been registered by Melbourne IT and referred the details to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Melbourne IT has since taken action ‘to prevent the domain names in question from directing to the offending sites’, ACMA said in a statement.
“The Internet is so vast that neither the Internet industry nor law enforcement can be expected to know the whereabouts of illegal content unless it is brought to their attention,” said Paul Durrant, General Manager of the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland’s Hotline.ie service.
“Internet hotlines provide this facility and this outcome is an example of the success that can be achieved through international collaboration involving industry and regulatory bodies.”
Aussie-registered sexual abuse sites shut down
By
Staff Writers
on Oct 1, 2008 3:35PM
A network of websites registered in Australia that reportedly provided access to child sexual abuse material have been shut down in a joint operation between Irish and local authorities.
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