Grading Dimensions
Each platform is evaluated across four dimensions. The final grade is a weighted composite of all four:
CSAM Reporting Volume
30%How many CyberTipline reports the platform generates relative to its user base. High absolute numbers alone don't mean a platform is unsafe — a platform that proactively detects and reports CSAM is doing its job. We normalize by monthly active users and consider year-over-year trends.
Safety Features
25%What tools and protections the platform provides — parental controls, age verification, content moderation AI, communication restrictions for minors, and proactive scanning technologies like PhotoDNA or perceptual hashing.
Enforcement Response
25%How the platform responds to reported exploitation — speed of content removal, account suspension, cooperation with law enforcement, and track record with NCMEC and DOJ investigations.
Transparency
20%How openly the platform communicates about child safety — publishing transparency reports, disclosing CSAM metrics, participating in industry coalitions (like the Tech Coalition), and supporting independent research.
Data Sources
NCMEC CyberTipline
Annual and quarterly CSAM report counts by ESP (electronic service provider)
FBI IC3
Internet crime complaints including sextortion, trafficking, and online exploitation
Platform Transparency Reports
Self-reported content moderation, account actions, and safety metrics
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
UK-based CSAM analysis, AI-generated CSAM statistics
Thorn
Research on technology's role in child exploitation
Polaris Project
National Human Trafficking Hotline data
State Sex Offender Registries
Registered sex offender counts by state via NSOPW
Congressional Research Service
Legislation analysis and bill tracking
Update Frequency
Platform Grades
Updated quarterly when new transparency reports and NCMEC data become available. Major incidents (lawsuits, breaches, policy changes) may trigger interim updates.
NCMEC & FBI Data
Updated annually when official reports are published (typically Q1 for prior year data). Preliminary data may be included with notation.
Legislation
Tracked continuously during legislative sessions. Status changes reflected within 1 week of official action.
Sex Offender Registry
State-level data updated annually. National totals aggregated from individual state registries and NSOPW.
Limitations
- NCMEC reports ≠ unique incidents. One image can generate multiple reports. Platforms with better detection technology may report more — which can look worse in raw numbers.
- Self-reported data. Platform transparency reports are self-published and not independently audited. We note where data may be incomplete or biased.
- Grades are relative. No platform earns an A by being perfect — they earn it by being measurably better than peers across all four dimensions.
- Subjectivity in enforcement scoring. Enforcement response is partially assessed through reported experiences, lawsuits, and investigative journalism rather than purely quantitative data.