Don’t ignore call for help

Police chief Mike Barton has called on internet giants to plough more of their profits into efforts to stamp out child abuse images online.

That he has to make that call at all is disappointing, to put it mildly.

These companies shouldn’t be investing just some of their “eye-watering” profits, as Mr Barton call them, they should be investing the majority of those profits into the problem.

Critics might have a pop at the chief, arguing that tackling crime is the job of the police and not those who run online platforms.

But who better to police the online environment than the very people who, in theory, understand it better than most?

As Mr Barton, the head of Durham Constabulary, reveals , forces are making more than 400 arrests connected to indecent images of children every month.

His biggest gripe is raised when he questions why it was “so difficult” to remove child abuse images from the web.

When bills aren’t being paid, these organisations are often quick to react.

The suggestion appears to be that they are a little slower in acting when it comes to tackling online crime than they ensuring those eye-watering profits continue. Our Cybercrime campaign is all about highlighting the dangers of the internet, and how best you can protect yourself.

But those who create the platforms that host criminal activity need to do more to help the police.

There are an average of 15 child sex offences involving the internet recorded ever day. Tackling this, needs a coordinated approach, expert knowledge and financial muscle.

His call has been made. We trust the internet giants are listening.