There are many different kinds of child pornography materials, made available through a variety of media, but essentially they involve depicting a child or children in a manner that is intended to aid sexual arousal and gratification. Child pornography is made by child abusers. Child pornography exploits children in many different ways. Children may be physically forced or coerced to engage in making it. This involves direct sexual abuse and exploitation. Pornographic images of children are often copied multiple times and may remain in circulation for many years; the victim continues to be subjected to humiliation or blackmail long after the image has been made. The person who views images of child abuse - seeking sexual gratification from the victimisation of a child - is an abuser too, whether or not they make pornography and whether or not they seek sex with children.

Children everywhere are exposed more and more to serious violence by means of the Internet and other cyber technologies. Chat rooms are more often used to make contact with children. The children frequently believe that they chat with a child of the same age and are asked to meet them or to do pornographic performances in front of the webcam.

Digital cameras, webcams and scanners have made it easier to manufacture child pornography and carry out live child abuse. As a result of relatively easy and supposedly anonymous access, more people who might not be defined technically as paedophiles or preferential abusers are said to be viewing, trading, downloading and keeping online child pornography. And the new technology is also facilitating the development and reach of well-organised networks of child sex abusers who also produce and distribute child pornography.