FAQ
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Organisation
Yes, the White Lens Foundation is a registered non-profit organization.
The foundation was established by Patrick Marti, who is the father of a young daughter. Patrick has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of online sexual abuse on people close to him. Seeing how this issue affects so many innocent lives, he felt deeply compelled to take action and put an end to this tragic reality. His love for his daughter and desire to protect other children drive the mission of our foundation.
In September 2023, Patrick came across the documentary Caught in the Net, which vividly portrays the grim reality of child sexual abuse online and exposes the tactics used by perpetrators. In Germany alone, nine children fall victim to sexual abuse online every day. Wtih the average daily screen time for children and adolescents ranging between 5.5 to 9 hours, an estimated 2.5 million pedocriminals are online at any given second. Over the years, the dangers of the digital world have escalated alongside its benefits. In 2004, there were 450,000 reports of child sexual abuse material; by 2023, this figure had skyrocketed to over 105 million.
Armed with this alarming knowledge, Patrick knew that immediate action was necessary. Drawing on his 30 years of experience in the IT industry, along with his education in business informatics, economics, and business psychology, Patrick is determined to utilize the latest technology to protect children and adolescents in the digital world.
There are different approaches in the fight against online child exploitation. Besides White Lens, there is one other company with a similar mission. The challenge lies in the complexity of the issue, which requires integrating five key areas: technology, law, psychology, awareness and education.
“White” symbolizes the purity of children, and “Lens” refers to vigilance and observation.
We estimate a total development time of about three years. The product should be ready by 2027.
Function
The app protects against grooming and sextortion. Grooming refers to the tactics used by predators who pose as adults and manipulate children psychologically to make them do things they don’t want to or shouldn’t, ultimately for sexual exploitation. Sextortion involves a criminal industry targeting children to extort them. Criminals may pretend to be children and share explicit images. If a targeted child uploads a similar image of themselves, they are then blackmailed.
The application will initially be available in German and English, and will be translated into other languages subsequently.
No such functionality is intended. We are committed to protecting the privacy of children.
No. This function is not intended and is not allowed.
The data package is enriched with metadata and sent to the White Lens Private Cloud. There, it is analyzed and the parents of the child are notified if necessary. The parents then decide what should happen with the data.
No. If parents choose to report an incident, they can hand the data package over to the appropriate authority. Otherwise, the data is archived or deleted, depending on the choice of the parents.
Financing
During development White Lens is funded through donations and after our product is launched, through a patron contribution.
No. White Lens is a foundation dedicated to the welfare and protection of children from sexual exploitation. Any potential profits will benefit our global partner foundations. White Lens pays its employees and partner companies standard wages or rates and is committed to gender pay equity.
Yes. The White Lens Foundation is a non-profit organization. Donors in Switzerland, where the foundation is already tax-exempt, and in America, where tax-exempt status is currently being applied for, will receive a donation receipt for tax purposes.
Support/Donations
To raise donations for White Lens, please reach out to us at info@whitelens.org. Thank you for your willingness to help and make a difference!
If you’re considering a larger donation, please contact us at info@whitelens.org with “Major Gift” in the subject line. Your support means a lot to us!
There are several ways you can help support our cause:
- Become an ambassador and help us spread our mission. Sign up here.
- Consider a partnership to collaborate with us in a meaningful way. Sign up here.
- Make a donation to support our initiatives: Donate here.
Volunteer your time and skills to help our efforts. Sign up here. - Spread the word by sharing our posts on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or X and help raise awareness for this important issue.
We appreciate any support you can give!