Better Internet for Kids

Hotline work in numbers

Key statistics highlight that 2024 started with a significant rise in reports received by the 29 hotlines co-funded by the European Commission. From January to June 2024, EC co-funded hotlines received a total of 648,949 public reports regarding URLs containing potentially illegal content, marking a 47 per cent increase compared to the previous two quarters. Notably, the majority of these reports (98.81 per cent) are not duplicate reports, indicating they contain new content.

Of the total reports received, 56.44 per cent involved child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or child sexual exploitation material (CSEM), amounting to an alarming 366,287 reports. This figure also encompasses various types of harmful content. For example, among these, 6,577 reports were identified as self-generated content, while 12,554 were classified as non-self-generated. Additionally, the hotlines processed 1,803 reports related to sexualised posing, modeling, or other inappropriate images of children, and 1,342 reports of computer-generated CSAM, including manga, drawings, and animations depicting abusive scenarios.
The vast majority of reports received by hotlines were originated from websites, with referrer-based websites making up the largest share (57.21 per cent) of this site type. Further, the majority of the content were hosted in the country where the hotline operates.

Regarding these reports received, significant actions were taken by INHOPE hotlines to remove the illegal content and combat CSAM. 96,845 reports were forwarded to relevant Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and 37,879 reports were sent to internet service providers (ISPs) by hotlines for further action. 124,962 reports were inserted into INHOPE’s ICCAM platform, on which hotlines exchange critical information across jurisdictions with other relevant hotlines. This number is a significant rise compared to the previous two quarters in 2023.

The alarming emerging trends observed

In the first half of 2024, several hotlines, including AnmeldDet (Denmark), FSM (Germany), and jugendschutz (Germany), noted a steady increase in reports originating from child abuse pyramid (CAP) sites —a trend that first emerged in 2022 and continued to rise through 2023. Hotlines observed that the URLs for this content often remain unchanged, with providers being switched after a Notice and Takedown order is issued. Additionally, a significant number of CAP sites⁽¹⁾ were found to be distributed via social media platforms, particularly Instagram.

Increased reports on sexual extortion, particularly financial sexual extortion, have also been observed by hotlines. ECPAT Sweden has reported ongoing reports of financial sexual extortion of boys, as well as the dissemination of self-generated CSAM/CSEM depicting primarily younger girls aged 7-10. These trends reflect the evolving patterns in online sexual abuse and exploitation, underscoring the ongoing need for improved identification and understanding of these patterns to effectively combat them.

New opportunities

Despite all this, new opportunities also emerged for hotlines operating in the EU, with many hotlines reported establishing closer cooperation with national Law Enforcement Agencies and tighter communications with social media platforms. In addition, together eco (Germany), FSM (Germany), and StopLine (Austria) have successfully redeveloped a new report management database designed to streamline and enhance the efficiency of hotline analysts' work, further highlighting the collaborative efforts within the network.

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 applied for Trusted Flagger status. Notably, the Finnish hotline, Nettivihje, has been officially granted this status by their national Digital Service Coordinator. ECPAT Sweden has also been grated Trusted Flagger status, specifically in the area of sexual exploitation of children. This marks a significant and celebratory milestone for INHOPE hotlines in the implementation of the Digital Services Act within the EU. It is exciting to see stronger collaboration continues to be fostered between hotlines and online service providers, enabling faster and more efficient removal of illegal content online, especially CSAM, through the implementation of DSA.

Conclusion

The first half of 2024 showcases a strong commitment from INHOPE EC co-funded hotlines in processing and removing CSAM. The rise in reports and evolving trends emerging underscore the crucial role of hotlines in safeguarding children online and taking swift action against illegal content. Continued collaboration, both within and beyond the network, remains critical to sustaining and enhancing the ongoing efforts of hotlines.

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