In 2010, Spain was the second country atop the list of worldwide ranking in the matter of sharing child pornography (USA was the first) according to a study by the Fundation Alia2
America ranked the first continent with the biggest amount of countries sharing files of this kind, followed by Europe where Spain, France, Poland and Italy stood out.
Among other reasons, this study concluded that those results were so due to an exponential growth of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) worldwide.
ICT is the way used to exchange contents of child pornography, however they are desirable of being used to struggle against this crime, too. ICT continuous growth makes necessary that the Security Forces around the globe have the most advanced technological means for achieving this purpose.
ASASEC is co-financiated by the European Union (EU) following the specific program named "Prevention and fight against crime", located within the "Security and Safeguarding Liberties" program,
This concrete program is developed via annual work programmes. Project ASASEC is the answer to one of the calls for proposal issued by the EU in 2010.
The National Institute of Communication Technologies (INTECO), along with other beneficiaries, obtained the acceptance and co-financing from the EU for implementation.
The project ASASEC (Advisory System Against Sexual Exploitation of Children) aims at developing an innovative technology solution able to improve the current technical means in the fight against child pornography around the world.
The main user of this solution will be the Technological Investigation Brigade of the National Police in Spain. Nevertheless, its design and development will facilitate reuse by other international Security Forces.
This technology solution will cover the following aspects related to research and evidence analysis of pornography child crimes:
The Project started off at the end of 2011 and has an estimated duration of 3 years.
ASASEC project has a remarked innovative nature. The technological solution developed will make use of the more advanced techniques and tools in forensic analysis by using, for instance, artificial vision algorithms embedded in its multimedia engine so that the Security Forces may solve the cases involving child pornography.