Hotline observatory: Q3, 2025
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.
The Insafe and INHOPE networks meet to facilitate sharing of experiences and good practice
Today, the Insafe and INHOPE networks are meeting in Warsaw, Poland, to explore areas of common ground and opportunities for closer working between helplines, hotlines, and awareness centres in a two-day training meeting. It is also an opportunity to discuss a range of online safety issues, including deep nudes, sextortion, gender-based violence and adult content, and consider the challenges that are likely to face Safer Internet Centres in the future.
FSM's role of self-regulation under NetzDG
The Voluntary Self-Regulation for Multimedia Service Providers (FSM), the German hotline, was recognised by the Federal Office of Justice as the first institution of regulated self-regulation under the Network Enforcement Act (NetzDG) fulfilling the prerequisites of independence and proper transparent procedure.
Investigating the dynamics of illegal online activity
In order to shed light on the operations of SafeLine and its seventeen years of successful operation as a member of INHOPE, the Greek Safer Internet Centre (SIC) has published a research paper about the power of reporting illegal activity online, the dark web and the related legislation.
Maltese hotline revamps online reporting system
ChildWebAlert, Malta's national online platform for the reporting of child sexual abuse material, has recently undergone a revamp. The refreshed site offers a more user-friendly experience and has been optimised for mobile devices.
APLE Cambodia trains national police on online child sexual abuse and exploitation
With information partly gained through INHOPE trainings, and with financial aid from Terre des Hommes and Bread for the World, APLE Cambodia hotline analysts have provided the Anti-Human Trafficking Police of Cambodia and the Department of Anti-Cybercrime with trainings related to the investigation of online crimes related to the sexual exploitation of children.
In the spotlight: Safer Internet Centre Netherlands
As part of the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) Quality Assurance Programme (QAP), the Insafe-INHOPE Coordination Teams are jointly conducting a set of ten country visits to national Safer Internet Centres (SICs) to better understand what is happening in the Member States: monitoring emerging issues and challenges, identifying good practices to be shared, and harvesting the results of the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) policy.
Updates from the Finnish hotline
In Finland, in early July, the Ministry of Justice issued a draft to the Minister of Justice to suggest amendments to the Criminal Code regarding sexual offences.
Commission adopts strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a growing threat, both online and offline. To counter this phenomenon, the European Commission (EC) adopted an EU strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse on Friday, 24 August 2020.
ECPAT Sweden publishes report on harmful contact
ECPAT Sweden's hotline has noticed that self-generated material involves increasingly younger children, some as young as seven years old.
