The Better Internet for Kids Hotline Observatory has published its findings for July to September 2025, drawing on data submitted by 28 EU co-funded hotlines. Hotlines continued to support implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) while responding to high volumes of public reports and working closely with law enforcement and industry partners.
Trusted flagger designation under the Digital Services Act remains a key area of progress. Eleven hotlines now hold this status, and several reported steady operational developments this quarter. ECPAT Sweden strengthened communication channels with social media platforms to refine collaborative detection processes. Telefono Azzurro (Italy) focused on onboarding and analyst training to support more efficient workflows. Meldpunt Kinderporno (The Netherlands) received a dedicated trusted flagger reporting address from Telegram, though initial response times appear slower and are being monitored. Across the network, trusted flaggers submitted 1,436 priority reports.
In total, hotlines received 533,538 reports in Q3. The slight decrease compared to Q2 is linked largely to fewer derived reports from SafeNet Bulgaria, which noted that child sexual abuse material (CSAM) previously concentrated within specific clusters appears to be more dispersed this quarter. CSAM accounted for 28 per cent of all reports. Self-generated material remains a notable category at 14,414 reports, though differences in national categorisation continue to limit comparability across countries. Non self-generated material accounted for 12,480 reports, alongside 1,478 reports of virtual or computer-generated material and 1,149 cases of sexualised posing. Text-only depictions of abuse remain comparatively low in number.
Hotlines again processed significant volumes of content outside the scope of illegality, including more than 100,000 non-illegal reports and over 44,000 spam cases. These figures highlight the continued public reliance on hotlines for general guidance and underline the essential role of triage teams in rapidly identifying cases requiring intervention.
Most of the confirmed illegal content this quarter was hosted on websites, which accounted for more than 500,000 processed reports. Analysts also identified material hosted on file-hosting services, forums, gaming environments, and other services. Additionally, 2,735 reports were attributed to non-website locations that were not further specified in reporting forms.
Reports forwarded to law enforcement, internet service providers and ICCAM (a secure platform for the exchange of CSAM) all decreased this quarter. These shifts align with the reduced number of derived reports handled by the Bulgarian hotline and demonstrate how high-volume contributors can shape wider statistical trends. Hosting location analysis again showed that the majority of content was hosted in the country, supporting more efficient removal and clearer investigative jurisdiction.
Several operational trends emerged this quarter. Hotlines noted a dispersal of CSAM clusters, suggesting evolving offender behaviour and increasingly fragmented hosting patterns. Reports of virtual or computer-generated material remain relatively low but continue to rise, reflecting both improved identification and growing availability of generative tools. The persistent volume of misdirected or non-illegal reports underscores the need for clear public reporting interfaces and sustained awareness efforts.
Challenges include uneven categorisation of self-generated material across hotlines, which limits trend analysis and may underrepresent the scale of cases involving adolescents. Variability in platform responsiveness under trusted flagger channels remains an area to monitor, particularly where dedicated reporting routes do not yet deliver faster action.
Nonetheless, several successes stand out. Trusted flagger workflows continue to embed across the network, with hotlines investing in training, platform engagement, and operational refinement. The consistent pattern of illegal content being primarily hosted domestically supports faster interventions. Hotlines also continue to detect content across an expanding range of digital environments, demonstrating adaptability as offenders shift to alternative platforms.
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The Better Internet for Kids Hotline Observatory has published its findings for July to September 2025, drawing on data submitted by 28 EU co-funded hotlines. Hotlines continued to support implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) while responding to high volumes of public reports and working closely with law enforcement and industry partners.
Trusted flagger designation under the Digital Services Act remains a key area of progress. Eleven hotlines now hold this status, and several reported steady operational developments this quarter. ECPAT Sweden strengthened communication channels with social media platforms to refine collaborative detection processes. Telefono Azzurro (Italy) focused on onboarding and analyst training to support more efficient workflows. Meldpunt Kinderporno (The Netherlands) received a dedicated trusted flagger reporting address from Telegram, though initial response times appear slower and are being monitored. Across the network, trusted flaggers submitted 1,436 priority reports.
In total, hotlines received 533,538 reports in Q3. The slight decrease compared to Q2 is linked largely to fewer derived reports from SafeNet Bulgaria, which noted that child sexual abuse material (CSAM) previously concentrated within specific clusters appears to be more dispersed this quarter. CSAM accounted for 28 per cent of all reports. Self-generated material remains a notable category at 14,414 reports, though differences in national categorisation continue to limit comparability across countries. Non self-generated material accounted for 12,480 reports, alongside 1,478 reports of virtual or computer-generated material and 1,149 cases of sexualised posing. Text-only depictions of abuse remain comparatively low in number.
Hotlines again processed significant volumes of content outside the scope of illegality, including more than 100,000 non-illegal reports and over 44,000 spam cases. These figures highlight the continued public reliance on hotlines for general guidance and underline the essential role of triage teams in rapidly identifying cases requiring intervention.
Most of the confirmed illegal content this quarter was hosted on websites, which accounted for more than 500,000 processed reports. Analysts also identified material hosted on file-hosting services, forums, gaming environments, and other services. Additionally, 2,735 reports were attributed to non-website locations that were not further specified in reporting forms.
Reports forwarded to law enforcement, internet service providers and ICCAM (a secure platform for the exchange of CSAM) all decreased this quarter. These shifts align with the reduced number of derived reports handled by the Bulgarian hotline and demonstrate how high-volume contributors can shape wider statistical trends. Hosting location analysis again showed that the majority of content was hosted in the country, supporting more efficient removal and clearer investigative jurisdiction.
Several operational trends emerged this quarter. Hotlines noted a dispersal of CSAM clusters, suggesting evolving offender behaviour and increasingly fragmented hosting patterns. Reports of virtual or computer-generated material remain relatively low but continue to rise, reflecting both improved identification and growing availability of generative tools. The persistent volume of misdirected or non-illegal reports underscores the need for clear public reporting interfaces and sustained awareness efforts.
Challenges include uneven categorisation of self-generated material across hotlines, which limits trend analysis and may underrepresent the scale of cases involving adolescents. Variability in platform responsiveness under trusted flagger channels remains an area to monitor, particularly where dedicated reporting routes do not yet deliver faster action.
Nonetheless, several successes stand out. Trusted flagger workflows continue to embed across the network, with hotlines investing in training, platform engagement, and operational refinement. The consistent pattern of illegal content being primarily hosted domestically supports faster interventions. Hotlines also continue to detect content across an expanding range of digital environments, demonstrating adaptability as offenders shift to alternative platforms.
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