Hotline.ie received 40,543 reports in 2023, the highest number in its history, with over 29,906 reports confirmed to contain illegal material, primarily child sexual abuse material.
Hotline.ie, Ireland’s foremost service dedicated to combatting illegal online content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), intimate image abuse, and other forms of online exploitation—has today announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive Officer
Hotline.ie, the Irish national centre combatting illegal content online, announces the launch of its 2021 Annual Report: People Not Pixels.
“2021 has been probably the most onerous year in Hotline.ie‘s 22-years of operation.”
“The human toll these figures represent can be overwhelming, but we can’t afford to look away.”
“Each image is a crime. Each image has a victim, or victims, who have suffered abuse, and who are re-victimised each time their abuse is viewed as it is shared across the globe. We must never become hardened or inured to these figures.”
Hotline.ie, the Irish national centre combatting illegal content online (est. 1999), has launched today a new online reporting service to help young people and adults, alike, who had their intimate images and videos shared without their consent on the Internet. The service has been developed in conjunction with the Department of Justice and An Garda Síochána.
To learn more about the new Hotline.ie service and reporting portal read our Frequently Asked Questions here.
For other Irish support services click here.
On the European Day for the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, Irish Safer Internet Centre partners highlight support services available to parents, carers, children and young people.
A glimpse into the work of the Irish Safer Internet Centre January to September 2020, click here to view the infographic.
Tips via Webwise.ie on how to mitigate risks and protect yourself against sexual coercion and exploitation online, click here to view the infographic.
Hotline.ie findings reveal that 1 in 5 webpages assessed as displaying child sexual abuse images and videos, in 2019, included a paywall alongside “preview” images to advertise premium access to further abusive content subsequent to payment.
Hotline.ie Analysts also came across forum threads showing “preview” imagery and referencing content trading as an alternative “payment” method to gain access to “the community” and/or premium abusive content.
It can be jarring to witness individuals conversing so casually about the sexual abuse and exploitation of defenceless children, as if they are a commodity. The discussions attempting to normalise, legitimise and…
To mark the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (18 November) Hotline.ie is releasing its latest annual report. Our aim is to raise public awareness on the crucial importance of reporting suspect images and videos of children online. The cost of not knowing is immense.
Online child sexual abuse is not a victimless crime and there is nothing virtual about the child’s suffering. One child being sexually abused and exploited is one too many. By the public’s reporting…
Hotline.ie works in partnership with law enforcement, Government, Internet Industry and 44 other Hotlines across the globe [INHOPE] to ensure that every reported and confirmed Child Sexual Abuse image/video is removed from the Internet irrespective of where in the world it may be hosted. In 2017 Hotline.ie received and processed more reports than ever before and identified 44% more Child Sexual Abuse content than in 2016, with the images and videos found having increased in their severity.
On 28th June 2016, Minister of State for Justice David Stanton launched the ISPAI Hotline.ie Annual Report covering January to December 2015 – during a press event hosted in Dublin, at the Irish Architectural Archive. The report highlights the vital contribution of ISPAI Hotline.ie, not only nationally but also internationally, to the fight against Online Child Sexual Abuse Imagery (CSAI). Aside from an analysis of the online illegal content reported for the period, it covers: trends and evolution of Online CSAI distribution over the past 15 years; evidence of…
ISPAI Hotline.ie Service Annual Report – an analysis of online illegal content reported from January to December 2014 – was launched by Minster for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, at a press event hosted in the Irish Architectural Archive. In 2014 there was a 97% increase on the previous seven year average of reporting leading to a 142% increase in Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) forwarded to ISPs and law enforcement for action.
ISPAI Hotline.ie Service marks 15 years of full operation, fighting against the distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), universally agreed to be one of the most serious crimes on the Internet. Hotline.ie Analysts responding to public reports of suspected illegal content have first-hand experience of the shocking images paedophiles share on the Internet of children they have raped and abused.
You can view the infographics for this report here.
A recent ISPAI Hotline.ie Nationwide Public Survey shows that Irish adults’ predominant online daily behaviour revolves around online conversations: eMail usage (88%), followed by social networks related activities (63%) and news browsing (54%).
A recent Nationwide Survey commissioned by ISPAI Hotline.ie has found that Irish parents ranked “exposure to dangerous people” as their number one concern regarding children’s use of the Internet. 32% of parents gave it their top concern vote. Similar research conducted 13 years ago, in 2001, for the Government’s Internet Advisory Board, showed access to adult pornography as the top concern. Not only has adult pornography dropped to 2nd place but the percentage of parents giving it their 1st concern vote has dropped by over half – from 44% of parents in 2001 to just 20% in 2014.
The Hotline.ie Annual Report providing a statistical analysis of complaints made by the public during 2013 of suspected illegal content on the Internet was launched by Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald T.D., at the ISPAI Hotline.ie Meeting “Zero Tolerance to Child Sexual Abuse Online” held at the Merrion Hotel, Dublin.
The Hotline.ie Annual Report analysising complaints made by the public during 2012 of suspected illegal content was launched by Minister of Justice, Alan Shatter, T.D. on 29 April 2013.
Hotline.ie has today published its annual report, this shows that in the previous year (2011), reports made by the public to the Hotline of suspected illegal content remained at similar levels to the previous five years. However, on investigation, those proving to actually refer to illegal content had fallen by over 50%. This appears to suggest that the public are not encountering illegal content, especially child pornography, on the web to the same frequency as in the past.
Hotline.ie is appealing to the public to be vigilant when booking holidays online due to an increase in complaints about fake hotel booking confirmation emails.
Hotline.ie is appealing to the Irish public to be vigilant about identity fraud when making online transactions. Recently, Hotline.ie has noted an increase in false job advertisements, fraudulent websites offering goods at knock down prices and other ploys by criminals intent on tricking respondents into parting with personal and banking details.
Hotline.ie has announced that the Irish public are failing to report incidents of incitement to hatred online. The level of reporting of cases of incitement to hatred has been consistently low since Hotline.ie began in 1999, with less than a handful of cases each year.
Hotline.ie announce during ‘Get Online Week’ that 54%* of adults in Ireland use the internet at least once a day according to exclusive Irish research carried out by the internet watchdog for illegal online activity.
Exclusive new Irish research by Hotline.ie, the Irish internet watchdog where the public can report illegal online material has revealed that 67%* of parents in Ireland said that they are worried about what their children may come across online yet only 37% of these parents have installed basic security measures such as software that blocks access to inappropriate websites.
The ever-increasing challenge which evolving technologies pose to the fight against child pornography is highlighted in the Annual Report of the Hotline.ie service, which details the activities of the service during the period 1st January through 31st December 2010. Encouragingly, the period saw a significant decline in the number of reports received that were deemed to be illegal under Irish law. This illustrates the fact that the Internet has become a safer place for ordinary web browsing.
ECPAT’s International Conference on Child Online Safety puts Taiwan centre stage in the worldwide fight against the distribution of child pornography over the Internet. Taking place in Taipei on the 21st and 22nd April.
ISPAI announced publication of the Hotline.ie Annual Report 2010 covering its operations in 2009. The year saw the first report to the Hotline in nearly 10 years of operation where illegal child abuse images were found to be hosted in Ireland. This press release also provides a brief summary of findings of the report. The full report is available by clicking on “Hotline Publications” on the left of this screen.
ISPAI announced publication of the Hotline.ie Annual Report covering its 2008 operations. This press release provides a brief summary of findings. The full report is available by clicking on “Hotline Publications” on the left of this screen.
ISPAI and ACMA are delighted to announce the publication of their report, revealing the successful international hotline, ISP industry and police cooperation that led to the termination of a network of related illegal websites selling child abuse imagery on the Internet.
ISPAI announces the publication of the 5th Report of the hotline.ie service
This covers statistical analysis of the reports and the safer Internet activities of the Hotline.
The Minister officially launched the 5th Report of the hotline.ie service.
He then addressed the press, ISP industry and guests present, giving this speech which covers matters on Internet safety, legislation and views on Industry self-regulation.
Today, Wednesday 2nd. April 2008, the ISPAI made available to the public its revised www.hotline.ie service.
This enhanced Hotline website has been developed to assist the public to report suspected illegal content and to provide improved information on Internet safety measures. It is hoped that all ISPs in the country will join those already adhering to self-regulation and support the national and international efforts to develop a safer Internet environment.
Director of the Office for Internet Safety launches redeveloped www.hotline.ie service.
The new Executive Director of the Office for Internet Safety, Mr. John Laffan, today launched the Internet Service Providers’ Association of Ireland (ISPAI) Hotline’s redeveloped Website – www.hotline.ie – as part of a self regulatory regime supervised by the newly established Office for Internet Safety.
Delivered on the occassion of the Launch of the revamped www.hotline.ie website.
Standing in for the Minister who was unavoidably detained due to unexpected events at Leinster House, John Laffen delivered the speech planned to be given by the Minister on launching the new website.
ISPAI announces the publication of the 4th. Report of the www.hotline.ie service
This covers statistical analysis of the reports and the safer Internet activities of the Hotline.
The Minister officially launched the 4th. Report of the www.hotline.ie service.
He then addressed the press, ISP industry and guests present, giving this speech which covers matters on Internet safety, legislation and views on Industry self-regulation.
Brian Lenihan T.D., Minister for Children launches the ISPAI Child Pornography Hotline
Fourth Report March, 2007.
Europe Direct announces extension of its information service to provide
answers to questions citizen’s may have regarding safer use of the Internet.
Publication of the 3rd. report of www.hotline.ie
Covering the 30 month period 1st. July 2003 to 31st. December 2005.
Speeking at the launch of the ISPAI Child Pornography Hotline Third Report.
Covering the 30 month period 1st. July 2003 to 31st. December 2005.
Publication of the 2nd. report of www.hotline.ie
Covering the two year period 1st. July 2001 to 30th. June 2003.
Launch of the Internet Advisory Board Report 2000-2002.
Launch of updated Hotline website.
New Codes of Practice and Ethics for Irish Internet Service Providers and First Report of Child Pornography Hotline launched.
www.hotline.ie Directors Speech at the launch of the First Hotline Report.
Mary Hanafin T.D., Minister for Children today (16 July 2001) reiterated her advice to parents to take some sensible steps to protect their children from potentially harmful material on the Internet.
The Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Ms Mary Hanafin T.D., today (9 March 2000) announced the establishment of a new non-statutory Internet Advisory Board by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. John O’Donoghue, T.D.
Mary Hanafin T.D., Minister for Children today (19 December 2000) urged parents to take some sensible steps to protect their children from potentially harmful material on the Internet.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform today (29 November 1999) launched the www.hotline service on behalf of the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland.
