A global law enforcement operation has successfully dismantled Kidflix, a major CSAM platform. Authorities from 38 countries participated in the investigation, which involved analyzing payment transactions and identifying offenders. The platform, which launched in 2021, hosted around 91,000 unique videos, with new content uploaded at a rate of 3.5 videos per hour. Authorities seized the platform’s servers, recovering approximately 72,000 videos, and arrested 79 individuals, with further investigations ongoing.
Europol emphasized that Kidflix used a token-based system, where offenders earned tokens by categorizing videos or uploading content. These tokens allowed users to access or unlock different quality versions of the CSAM videos. The investigation revealed that 1.8 million users logged into the platform between April 2022 and March 2025, with many paying in cryptocurrency. Though 79 arrests were made, they represent only a small fraction of those involved in the criminal network.
The operation led by Germany and the Netherlands has uncovered disturbing evidence, with some of the arrested individuals accused of abusing children directly. Europol’s Catherine De Bolle stressed that these crimes have real victims—children—and cannot be seen as mere technical issues. The international operation, which has resulted in the seizure of over 3,000 devices, aims to protect vulnerable children from exploitation and bring perpetrators to justice.
Europol’s efforts reflect the growing challenge of online child sexual exploitation. The digital nature of such platforms allows offenders to bypass borders, making it a significant global issue. As part of its ongoing efforts, Europol is collaborating with countries around the world to develop solutions to combat cybercrime and protect children. The European Commission has also introduced the ProtectEU strategy to improve law enforcement capabilities against cyber threats and organized crime.
Reference:
