Hotline work in numbers

In the third quarter of 2024, INHOPE hotlines across the European Union (EU) continued their critical mission to combat online child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The latest EC-funded Hotline Observatory Report showcases the network's remarkable efforts and underscores the urgent need to address evolving online threats. During this period, EC co-funded hotlines processed 552,617 public reports of potentially illegal content, a notable increase compared to previous quarters. This surge was largely driven by the Bulgarian hotline, SafeNet, which uncovered a substantial volume of CSAM hosted on Telegram's free upload service, "telegra.ph.".

A significant proportion of the reports - 51.87 per cent - contained CSAM, amounting to 286,631 cases. These included 13,505 reports of self-generated content, 1,575 of non-self-generated content, and 830 related to sexualised posing or modelling. Computer-generated CSAM, including depictions such as manga and animations, accounted for 624 reports, while 61 reports were textual depictions of abuse. Other troubling content, such as child nudism, grooming, and hate speech, also appeared in the data, alongside 107 reports of sexual extortion, further highlighting the disturbing trends hotlines confront daily.

The hotlines acted decisively on the reports received, forwarding 57,689 cases to law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and 61,165 to internet service providers (ISPs) for further action. Additionally, 308,983 reports were uploaded to ICCAM, INHOPE’s secure platform for sharing data and facilitating cross-jurisdictional collaboration. The network's ability to manage and respond to such a high volume of reports underscores the importance of these coordinated efforts in disrupting the dissemination of harmful content.

Emerging trends in quarter 3 reflect the shifting landscape of online threats. SafeNet's identification of high levels of CSAM on Telegram highlights the challenges posed by encrypted platforms and underscores the urgency of innovative strategies to counteract these issues. Sextortion, both financial and non-financial, continues to rise, with young boys being increasingly targeted. Child Abuse Pyramid (iCAP) sites also remain a persistent issue, evading takedown orders by frequently switching providers, making their removal a complex task.

As the Trusted Flagger application process under the Digital Services Act (DSA) continues to progress across various countries, several hotlines within the INHOPE network have successfully achieved this status. Notably, the Finnish hotline has been officially granted Trusted Flagger status by their national Digital Service Coordinator. ECPAT Sweden has also received this designation, focusing on the sexual exploitation of children. These accomplishments are matched by progress in other countries, with Romania and Greece also advancing in their Trusted Flagger applications. This represents a significant milestone in the implementation of the DSA within the EU. Stronger collaboration between hotlines and online service providers is becoming a reality, enabling faster and more efficient removal of illegal content online, especially CSAM.

The third quarter of 2024 underscores the resilience and innovation of INHOPE hotlines in their mission to safeguard children online. By addressing emerging threats and leveraging new opportunities under the DSA, these networks remain at the forefront of the global fight against CSAM.