The amazing new technology lets investigators speedily TRAWL through a suspect's computer and FIND horrific images - even when hidden in a seemingly innocent video.
They can also MATCH a child's face shown in a video to similar images discovered around the world.
This often enables cops to rescue the tragic kids and break up secretive paedo networks.
The system can even RECOGNISE background scenes in an abuse clip - such as posters, views from windows, furniture or carpets - to provide clues or evidence against suspects.
In the past year, British investigators have used the device to identify 20 child victims. And in America, the anti-paedophile agency has traced thousands.
Google's system is so sophisticated it can even spot matches in an image's pixels after paedophiles have tried to retouch or alter it. The program was developed by scientists who devised some of the internet search engine's most popular services -including its photo library Picasa and popular YouTube.
It was first dreamed up by Shumeet Baluja, a senior researcher at Google's Washington office. He was called in by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and discovered their agents were having to plough through hours of horrific video footage.
Shumeet decided to create a system which would allow them to do the task automatically.
He said: "I did it because I'm a parent. It was traumatic to see what they have to deal with."
He and a few colleagues worked on the project during the 20 per cent paid spare time which Google allows its employees to develop their own new ideas.
His high-speed software enabled agents to analyse 8.7m images last year, compared to 5m the year before.
Google also helps Britain's Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre but the agency's undercover work is kept a secret.
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This article has 9 comments
Big thumbs up for Google. Well done Shumeet. I guess you could call this the positive side of our ever growing surveillance culture. The only issue now is the need to implement tougher laws on sex offenders.
By Kenny Boy.. Posted May 27 2009 at 11:31 AM.
If they can easily spy on the bad guys, they can just as easily spy on the good guys.
Say goodbye to privacy.
By Ubiquitous.. Posted May 25 2009 at 5:04 PM.
Maybe they want the pedos to know that this technology is available?
By Beth.. Posted May 25 2009 at 9:47 AM.
I like to CAPITALIZE key WORDS in my ARTICLES
By Bob.. Posted May 25 2009 at 7:35 AM.
this can only be a great thing to happen and catch those twisted people bt maybe it should of been kept under rap so that these twisted people would be caught and not go underground
By shirleynsteve.. Posted May 24 2009 at 1:21 PM.
Hasn't Blinkx had this technology for a long time?
By Blinkx.. Posted May 24 2009 at 10:50 AM.
I'm with you Norman.... What plonker put this on the net...
By Paul.. Posted May 24 2009 at 8:54 AM.
my thoughts exactly norman. this revelation will push the scum further underground. sometimes somethings need to be kept secret.
By bev.. Posted May 24 2009 at 7:10 AM.
well its not a secret now, is it !?
By norman.. Posted May 24 2009 at 2:24 AM.