BRUSSELS—Aylo and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, in collaboration with Stop It Now! Flanders, have launched a Dutch-language chatbot on Belgian Pornhub to help prevent the viewing of sexual images of children.
The innovative intervention was a world first when launched on Pornhub UK in 2022, in collaboration with the Internet Watch Foundation and Aylo, the owners of Pornhub. Its deployment in Flanders marks another milestone—the first time the technology has been adapted for another language and used outside Britain.
The chatbot on Pornhub, active in the UK and now in Flanders, engages adults who attempt to search for illegal sexual material involving under-18s. While Pornhub blocks these searches globally, the chatbot goes further—it initiates a conversation, informs users that such content is illegal and harmful, and offers a confidential route to support.
Hundreds of people are arrested each month in the UK alone for viewing sexual images of under-18s. Globally, the problem is growing. But we cannot arrest our way out of this crisis. We need to intervene earlier—at the point of attempted offending—and offer people a way out before they offend or reoffend.
This chatbot is a digital intervention at a critical moment. It’s a wake-up call for those who may be on the brink of causing harm to children—and to themselves.
Stop It Now! Flanders adapted our model for Dutch-speaking users of Pornhub Belgium, with funding from the Flemish Government. The chatbot has been fully translated and tailored for the local context and is being piloted as part of the charity’s broader prevention strategy. It complements their anonymous online coaching program and the self-help module Stoppen is Mogelijk (Stopping is Possible), offering different pathways to change.
"The number of people searching for sexual images of children remains disturbingly high. We want to support those who are motivated to change their behaviour and are actively seeking help, to prevent them from reoffending. The more places we can be to reach this group, the more child sexual abuse we can prevent," said Minne De Boeck, Criminologist, University Forensic Centre and Project Coordinator at Stop It Now! Flanders.
"A collaboration between charities and an adult website might seem surprising. But if we’re serious about preventing child sexual abuse, we need partnerships like these across sectors and borders. For someone searching for illegal content, triggering the chatbot can be a turning point. It’s designed to interrupt harmful behaviour and provide a pathway to help. We want more tech companies to talk to us. We know that being in the right place at the right time can stop someone from offending—and protect children from harm," said Deborah Denis, chief executive of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.Pornhub has shown how tech companies can make a real difference by challenging those who may put them at risk.
"Partnerships with organisations like the Lucy Faithfull Foundation are imperative to proactively detect and deter individuals who attempt to misuse our platform," Alex Kekesi, the vice president of brand and community at Pornhub's parent company, Aylo. "Aylo maintains a zero-tolerance policy for child sexual abuse material, and the chatbot project has demonstrated the valuable role technology can play in keeping platforms free from illegal activity. We urge other tech and social media platforms to adopt similar tools and approaches as part of their own strategies to deter harmful behaviour."
