As we step further into 2024, we remain committed to creating the tools needed to safeguard victims of exploitation worldwide. Now, at the beginning of the year, we wanted to share some of our plans for the future of our platform, and how we hope that it will continue to make investigations more efficient and effective than ever.  

Read on to discover what optimised crawling means for the intelligence available to you, how new improvements are bringing insights straight to the user, and what the future looks like for our very own user summit. 

Bringing the insights to the user 

In 2023, we took leaps to understand the needs of our users and bring the most important and effective insights straight to them for more efficient research. 

Hosting our very first CameraForensics Connect, bringing a law enforcement expert – Rob Chitham – on board as our engagement manager, and partnering with Onemi-Global Solutions all showcased our commitment to a tighter feedback loop. Now, equipped with the understanding of the functionality and insights that resonate with you, we’re jumping into action. 

We’re already hard at work on several significant updates, all planned as a response to user feedback, and all aiming to foster a more user-friendly experience.  

One of the improvements we’ve already incorporated comes in the form of help and guidance found directly on the ‘Search Everything’ page. This now has a more user-friendly look to help investigators get started, and find the results that matter even quicker. We want to bring the insights needed straight to the user, removing the obstacles that are preventing effective searches. 

We were also told that the BigSearch results can be hard to interpret, particularly when a large number is returned, which is why we’re already developing a ‘leads’ concept that directs you straight to important information with little effort. 

Optimising the entire investigation workflow 

At the heart of our mission is a dedicated effort to understand how and when investigators turn to CameraForensics. If we understand this, then we can tailor our platform even further to be more effective than ever. 

This endeavour encompasses ongoing efforts to integrate suggested filters seamlessly into the user experience and an impending enhancement of the big search functionality, promising a paradigm shift in user interaction in a more user-friendly manner. 

Improved site crawling  

Our close collaboration has led to a substantial revamp of our crawling approach, which will bring much more insights in 2024. While our focus remains on quality over quantity, our increased processing capabilities allow us to process more sites and information than ever. 

In the last six months, we’ve discovered millions of new URLs and images from domains, and are now processing these sites to index hundreds of thousands of images per day, while also actively crawling through numerous new domains. 

We’re committed to continuing R&D 

New threats like artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and new trends in social media all threaten the work of investigators. Because of this, effective research and development projects that uncover new insights are more essential than ever. 

Our recent collaboration with the University of Bath is a testament to our continued dedication to R&D. We’re actively exploring a wide range of possibilities, including new research projects and potential funding for PhDs.  

It’s also important to understand just how the online landscape is changing. Overcoming the challenges of a shifting industry doesn’t just mean taking on innovative new R&D projects. It also means staying up to date with the latest emerging standards and regulations that affect how imagery is created and shared, as well as understanding how Big Tech continues to move and change.  

Continuing to attend breakthrough events 

As well as continuing to take on new R&D projects, 2024 will see us actively participating in a wide range of international events to engage with the law enforcement community. Global conferences on a wide range of topics, from AI to DevOps, and smaller specialist gatherings on online child safety, will help us as we foster a friendly community dialogue. 

By attending and speaking at events like these, we can share our knowledge and help lead the fight against the spread and harm of online exploitation, in any form. 

Connect 2024: save the date 

Last year, we launched our debut user summit: CameraForensics Connect. Held over two days in the heart of London, it was the perfect opportunity to bring tech experts and law enforcement together in collaboration. 

Now, we can confirm that we’ll be bringing CameraForensics Connect back in 2024. Hosted in North Carolina, our US-based summit will help us engage with new partners, foster meaningful connections, and uncover the insights needed to drive change worldwide. 

Why not register your interest today and be the first to know when tickets are available? 

Looking to the future 

With a focus on bringing more meaningful insights straight to you, we want to make searches easier than ever, and discovering valuable new intelligence through searches, we’re incredibly excited about what 2024 holds for us. We are also proud to be a part of a fantastic community of experts dedicated to fighting online exploitation in any form. 

To learn more, head on over to our full blog today. There, you can discover our insights, thoughts, and discussions on the very latest topics.