Delving into the shocking netherworld of child porn, Julian Sher tells the startling story of the police officers, prosecutors, and high-tech analysts around the world using creative undercover work and computer forensics to stem the flood of child abuse images on the Internet and rescue these young victims. He draws on candid court confessions, web logs, and interviews to take readers into the dark underbelly of the web, where shady entrepreneurs profit from the worldwide trade; denizens of the underground pedophile networks thrill at new eneryption and security masks; and the all-too-ordinary consumers get their kicks. From daring rescues in homes to the seizures of millions of dollars in the offshore bank accounts of the porn merchants, Julian Sher outlines clue by clue, image by image, how investigators are using cutting-edge tools as they race to find and save children. Granted extraordinary access by the world's leading police agencies, Sher takes the reader behind the scenes, from FBI headquarters where officers masquerade as children in web chat rooms, to the latest image database at the Department of Homeland Security's CyberCrime center, and a new high-tech police squad in London, England. He also highlights the work taking place at Microsoft's and AOL's headquarters, where a new generation of computer technology is being developed to make the web safer for children. Sher profiles the victories and the scars the battle leaves on its youngest victims and the investigators who dedicate their lives to finding them. Rescue the Children is a harrowing and important exploration of the ramifications of a worldwide struggle and the unexpected effects the Internet has had on our socialfabric.