Kidflix, one of the largest dark web platforms facilitating the sharing, hosting, and streaming of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), was shut down after a coordinated international law enforcement operation. The operation, known as Operation Stream, was led by the State Criminal Police of Bavaria (Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt) and the Bavarian Central Office for the Prosecution of Cybercrime (ZCB), with support from Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3).
The investigation into Kidflix began in 2022, and over time, it evolved into a global effort involving law enforcement agencies from 35 countries. As a result of the operation, 79 arrests were made, 1,393 suspects identified, and over 3,000 electronic devices seized.
Kidflix operated primarily on the dark web and had become notorious for its ability to host and stream CSAM. From April 2022 until its shutdown, the platform had 1.8 million users worldwide. At the time of the raid, the site was hosting more than 72,000 videos, many of which were previously unknown to authorities. According to the Dutch National Police, these videos represented a significant portion of the illegal material circulating within criminal networks.
The platform allowed users to purchase access to videos using cryptocurrency, which was then converted into platform-specific tokens. These tokens not only granted access to videos but also enabled users to upload and verify content, earning additional tokens for their efforts.
Moreover, by paying extra fees, users could unlock higher-quality versions of videos. This system encouraged a high volume of uploads, with an average of 3.5 new videos being added every hour. By the time of the shutdown, Kidflix had accumulated over 91,000 videos with a total runtime of 6,288 hours.
In February 2025, law enforcement authorities from 19 countries apprehended 25 individuals associated with a criminal group distributing AI-generated CSAM as part of the effort called ‘Operation Cumberland.’ In addition, 273 suspects were identified and and 173 electronic devices seized.
Europol's ongoing efforts include initiatives such as Stop Child Abuse – Trace An Object, which allows the public to assist in identifying objects linked to ongoing investigations. Launched in 2017 and expanded globally, this initiative was further supported by the Australian Federal Police in 2021 to focus on the Asia-Pacific region.
