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Online abuse – get help, report it!

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Dutch Safer Internet Centre

Profile last updated: December 2025

About the organisation

The Dutch Safer Internet Centre aims to support minors in tackling online risks, empower them to become media-literate, resilient and digital citizens, and keep them safe through providing help when needed. The SIC consists of Offlimits, which operates the hotline, the helpline and the youth panel, and ECP and Netwerk Mediawijsheid, which acts as the awareness centre.

Awareness centre

The awareness centre is responsible for national coordination (aligning the programmes and projects of ministries, NGOs and private partners). It focuses on awareness raising on safer internet issues, through a website, campaigns, events and working groups. 

Helpline

The Offlimits helpline provides a channel for people, in particular children and young people, to seek advice on how to deal with online harm, such as harmful contact (grooming), conduct (cyberbullying) and misuse of harmful content, or other related topics such as the use of digital technologies and media literacy. The helpline is open not just to children and adolescents but also to parents, teachers, and professionals working with youngsters. The helpline provides advice on how best to handle reported situations and acts as a recognised, trusted flagger under the Digital Services Act (DSA), flagging illegal content and behaviour to online service providers.

The Offlimits helpline is open 7 days a week via phone or online chat, from 07:00 to 23:00 on Monday through Wednesday, 09:00 to 17:00 on Thursday and Friday and 11:00 to 19:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

The helpline is reachable 24/7 via email.

Hotline

The Offlimits hotline receives public reports on illegal content online, in particular child sexual abuse material (CSAM), aiming to remove reported CSAM as quickly as possible. The hotline processes reports received, including analysing the legality of the content and its origin. If the content is found to be illegal, the hotline then sends a NTD (notice and take down) to hosting providers under the Code of Conduct in the Netherlands, forwards the report to law enforcement agencies (LEA) for further investigation, and/or uploads the report into ICCAM, the secure platform to exchange reports among jurisdictions by INHOPE, if the content is hosted outside the Netherlands.

Illegal content can be reported to the Offlimits hotline via the online report on the hotline's website. 

Youth participation

The Offlimits Youth Panel plays a key role in understanding and addressing online safety for young people. The panel consists of youth ambassadors who meet regularly to share their experiences and insights and provide feedback on the work of the Safer Internet Centre. By understanding what's going on and how young people experience online challenges, they can lobby more effectively in both Dutch and European politics.

Young people in the Netherlands can get involved via the youth panel of the Safer Internet Centre. More information can be found on the SIC's website

Key partners/supporters

Key supporters of the Dutch Safer Internet Centre include:

  • Ministry of Safety and Justice (cyber security and funding the hotline and the helpline).
  • Ministry of Education (funding media literacy programme).

All relevant NGOs and knowledge centres participate in expert groups or the Advisory Board.

Additionally, private partners in the telecommunication sector - large ISP's, mobile providers and the hosting sector - are supporting the centre, either financially and by taking part in the working groups and Advisory Board.

SIC Netherlands logo
SIC Netherlands logo
Profile last updated: December 2025

About the organisation

The Dutch Safer Internet Centre aims to support minors in tackling online risks, empower them to become media-literate, resilient and digital citizens, and keep them safe through providing help when needed. The SIC consists of Offlimits, which operates the hotline, the helpline and the youth panel, and ECP and Netwerk Mediawijsheid, which acts as the awareness centre.

Awareness centre

The awareness centre is responsible for national coordination (aligning the programmes and projects of ministries, NGOs and private partners). It focuses on awareness raising on safer internet issues, through a website, campaigns, events and working groups. 

Helpline

The Offlimits helpline provides a channel for people, in particular children and young people, to seek advice on how to deal with online harm, such as harmful contact (grooming), conduct (cyberbullying) and misuse of harmful content, or other related topics such as the use of digital technologies and media literacy. The helpline is open not just to children and adolescents but also to parents, teachers, and professionals working with youngsters. The helpline provides advice on how best to handle reported situations and acts as a recognised, trusted flagger under the Digital Services Act (DSA), flagging illegal content and behaviour to online service providers.

The Offlimits helpline is open 7 days a week via phone or online chat, from 07:00 to 23:00 on Monday through Wednesday, 09:00 to 17:00 on Thursday and Friday and 11:00 to 19:00 on Saturday and Sunday.

The helpline is reachable 24/7 via email.

Hotline

The Offlimits hotline receives public reports on illegal content online, in particular child sexual abuse material (CSAM), aiming to remove reported CSAM as quickly as possible. The hotline processes reports received, including analysing the legality of the content and its origin. If the content is found to be illegal, the hotline then sends a NTD (notice and take down) to hosting providers under the Code of Conduct in the Netherlands, forwards the report to law enforcement agencies (LEA) for further investigation, and/or uploads the report into ICCAM, the secure platform to exchange reports among jurisdictions by INHOPE, if the content is hosted outside the Netherlands.

Illegal content can be reported to the Offlimits hotline via the online report on the hotline's website. 

Youth participation

The Offlimits Youth Panel plays a key role in understanding and addressing online safety for young people. The panel consists of youth ambassadors who meet regularly to share their experiences and insights and provide feedback on the work of the Safer Internet Centre. By understanding what's going on and how young people experience online challenges, they can lobby more effectively in both Dutch and European politics.

Young people in the Netherlands can get involved via the youth panel of the Safer Internet Centre. More information can be found on the SIC's website

Key partners/supporters

Key supporters of the Dutch Safer Internet Centre include:

  • Ministry of Safety and Justice (cyber security and funding the hotline and the helpline).
  • Ministry of Education (funding media literacy programme).

All relevant NGOs and knowledge centres participate in expert groups or the Advisory Board.

Additionally, private partners in the telecommunication sector - large ISP's, mobile providers and the hosting sector - are supporting the centre, either financially and by taking part in the working groups and Advisory Board.