International Efforts and Cooperation
The Internet is a powerful and important creation, which has brought incredible change and benefits throughout the world. But along with these benefits, there are harms that arise from its misuse. Industry has many tools at its disposal to influence its design, and a central role to play in ensuring children are protected.
Canada works closely with international partners to combat online child sexual exploitation. This includes not only the exchange of information regarding new and emerging threats, but also the sharing of best practices and lessons learned in combatting this crime.
On this page
- G7 Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Working Group
- International Framework to Prevent Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
- International Agreements
G7 Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Working Group
Canada engages with international counterparts through the G7 Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Working Group, which monitors progress on delivering the G7 Action Plan to Combat Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PDF). The G7 Interior and Security Ministers agreed to the action plan in September 2021. The plan aims to encourage industry to play its part, strengthen domestic regimes, strengthen law enforcement cooperation, and protect children around the world. Members include Canada, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Statements and Communiqués
- G7 Interior and Security Ministers' Statement (2022) - issued after the meeting in Eltville am Rhein, Germany
- G7 Interior and Security Ministers' Communiqué (2023) - issued after the meeting in Mito, Ibaraki, Japan
- G7 Interior and Security Ministers' Communiqué (2024) - issued after the meeting in Mirabella Eclano, Italy
- G7 Interior and Security Ministers Communiqué (2025) – issued after the meeting in Ottawa, Canada
International Framework to Prevent Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
In March 2020, the Five Country Ministerial (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States) launched the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, in consultation with six technology industry partners and the WeProtect Global Alliance. Since then, G7 Interior Ministers have added their support and more than 20 companies have endorsed the Principles.
The Principles provide a common and consistent framework to combat online sexual crimes against children and drives collective action between governments and industry partners.
Canada's work with Five Eyes partners, in consultation with industry stakeholders to develop and refine the Voluntary Principles is a leading example of cross-sector and cross-jurisdictional collaboration to keep children safe from online sexual exploitation and abuse. Canada remains committed to constructive dialogue with technology industry leaders to raise awareness and strengthen prevention.
- In 2025, the Five Eyes governments, through the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Working Group, undertook a 'Virtual Roadshow' to promote the value of the Voluntary Principles. As a result, 11 countries from all five continents were familiarized with the framework and shared information on their engagement with the technology industry to prioritize child safety and transparency
- In March 2022, the Five Country Ministerial issued a Statement on the Second Anniversary of the Launch of the "Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse"
- Industry or electronic service providers (ESPs) sent 20.5 million reports to the U.S. based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in 2024 (Source: CyberTipline Data 2024)
- The Canadian Centre for Child Protection's (C3P) Project Arachnid, a web-crawling technology solution to identify CSAM, targeted more than 1.3 million media for removal in 2023-2024 (Source: Social Value Report 2023-2024 [PDF])
- Since its launch in 2002, Project Arachnid has targeted more than 18 million media for removal and verified over 10 million child sexual abuse images and 4.3 million harmful -abusive images across 1,200+ electronic service providers (ESPs) in nearly 100 countries. (Source: Social Value Report 2023-2024 [PDF])
Canada is a member of the WePROTECT Global Alliance to End Child Sexual Exploitation Online (WPGA). The WPGA is an alliance of countries, industry partners, and civil society, who work together to enhance global efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Their efforts focus on developing a comprehensive assessment of the global threat environment, raising awareness, and increasing international cooperation. In October 2022, Canada joined the Global Taskforce on Child Sexual Abuse Online, an initiative of the WeProtect Global Alliance.
The Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) is an international law enforcement alliance that works together, including through operational collaboration and intelligence sharing, to address child sexual exploitation online. The RCMP represents Canada at the VGT.
International Agreements
The Government of Canada endorses a number of international agreements to protect children from sexual exploitation, including but not limited to:
- The Universal Declaration on Human Rights
- The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and two Optional Protocols
- The Convention on Cybercrime (The Budapest Convention)
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