From Shutdown to Strategy
Talking About CSAM Effectively
July 2026
A new handguide for activists, educators, and advocates navigating one of the internet’s most difficult conversations.
The topic of CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Materials) shuts conversations down. Malicious actors use CSAM as a talking point to derail conversations about sex positivity, further marginalize the adult industry and sex workers, and push through measures that don’t actually protect anyone.
Part of the problem is ignorance. And part of it is misinformation, which means even well-intentioned advocates sometimes repeat claims that aren’t true. In the end, the myths meant to protect children often end up harming the very people they claim to shield: children and minors themselves.
What’s in the guide
From Shutdown to Strategy unpacks the most pervasive myths around CSAM, sex education, and the sex-positive internet, replacing them with narratives grounded in real data, drawn from years of research with survivors of child sexual abuse.
The guide is built to do two things at once: equip activists to hold their ground in difficult conversations, and bring the actual realities of CSA into the discussion in ways that support prevention and protect those most at risk.
About the partnership
This handguide is the result of an extraordinary six-month partnership between COSPR and The Digital Intimacy Coalition, bringing together expertise in child protection, CSA/M prevention, sex education, and sex-positive digital structures.
It was made possible by SUPERRR Lab’s Digital Future Gatherings Flash Grants.