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Europol-Led Operation Dismantles Global CSAM Platform Kidflix, Leading to 79 Arrests

Discover how Europol's Operation Stream took down Kidflix, a major child sexual abuse material (CSAM) platform, resulting in 79 arrests and protecting 39 children.

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By Tom Grant
2 min read
Europol-Led Operation Dismantles Global CSAM Platform Kidflix, Leading to 79 Arrests

TL;DR

An international law enforcement operation led by Europol has shut down Kidflix, a major child sexual abuse material (CSAM) streaming platform with 1.8 million users. The operation resulted in 79 arrests and the protection of 39 children.

Main Content

An international law enforcement operation, codenamed Operation Stream, has successfully dismantled Kidflix, one of the world’s largest streaming platforms for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The operation was led by the State Criminal Police of Bavaria (Bayerisches Landeskriminalamt) and the Bavarian Central Office for the Prosecution of Cybercrime (ZCB), with significant support from Europol. Over 35 countries participated in this extensive effort1.

Europol Operation

Operation Overview

  • Platform Statistics: Kidflix had 1.8 million users worldwide.
  • Seizure Details: German and Dutch officials seized the platform’s server on March 11, 2025.
  • Investigation Results:
    • 1,393 suspects identified
    • 79 arrests made
    • Over 3,000 devices seized
    • 39 children protected

Key Findings

The investigation, which began in 2022, revealed that Kidflix allowed users to stream CSAM and used cryptocurrency-based payments. Users could earn tokens by uploading and categorizing content, which they then used to access higher-quality versions of the videos. The platform hosted 91,000 videos, totaling 6,288 hours of content, with an average of 3.5 new videos added per hour2.

Statements from Authorities

“A total of 1.8 million users worldwide logged on to the platform between April 2022 and March 2025. On 11 March 2025, the server, which contained around 72,000 videos at the time, was seized by German and Dutch authorities.” - Europol Press Release3

“Unlike other known platforms of this kind, Kidflix not only enabled users to download CSAM but also to stream video files. Users made payments using cryptocurrencies, which were subsequently converted into tokens.” - Europol Press Release3

“The digital dimension has driven a rapid evolution in online child sexual exploitation, offering offenders a borderless platform to contact and groom victims, as well as to create, store, and exchange child sexual abuse material.” - Catherine De Bolle, Europol Executive Director3

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Conclusion

The successful takedown of Kidflix underscores the critical role of international cooperation in combating online child sexual exploitation. The operation not only dismantled a major CSAM platform but also led to significant arrests and the protection of vulnerable children.

Additional Resources

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References

  1. Europol (2025). “Global crackdown on Kidflix, major child sexual exploitation platform with almost two million users”. Europol. Retrieved 2025-04-03. ↩︎

  2. Security Affairs (2025). “Europol-led op shuts down CSAM platform Kidflix”. Security Affairs. Retrieved 2025-04-03. ↩︎

  3. Europol (2025). “Global crackdown on Kidflix, major child sexual exploitation platform with almost two million users”. Europol. Retrieved 2025-04-03. ↩︎ ↩︎2 ↩︎3

Cybersecurity & Data Protection, Cyber Attacks
cybersecurity threat-intelligence child protection
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