- During Covid-19, Gardaí have observed a 29% increase in traffic on monitored sites on the Dark Web which ae exclusively dedicated to online child sexual exploitation.
- Hotline.ie Annual Report 2019 will show the largest number of child sexual abuse material reports classified and actioned since 1999, and a year-on-year increase of 79% on 2018 figures.
The Minister for Justice and Equality, Helen McEntee TD, has today welcomed the publication of the updated Code of Practice for Hotline.ie, the national reporting service for potentially criminal content online. This updated Code of Practice, undertaken in line with commitments under the National Action Plan for Online Safety, reflects the essential role of industry, working together with Hotline, to safeguard the public against potentially criminal content, especially child sexual abuse material.
In the foreword to the updated Code of Practice, Minister McEntee stated:
For over 20 years Hotline.ie has supported collaboration between Gardaí and industry partners and plays a vital child protection role in combatting the illegal, harmful and predatory use of the internet. I am very grateful to the staff of Hotline.ie for their commitment and professionalism in addressing this dreadful crime.
The updated Code takes account of the rapidly evolving online environment, advancements in technology, new uses of technology and the internet, and new forms of online behaviour. It comes at a time when, as noted in EUROPOL’s recent ‘Exploiting Isolation’ report, the world is witnessing a significant surge in the consumption and dissemination of child sexual abuse material online during the COVID-19 crisis. Nationally, An Garda Síochána’s Online Child Exploitation Unit has observed a 29% increase in traffic on sites being monitored on the Dark Web which are exclusively dedicated to online child sexual exploitation.
Considering this recent upsurge against the broader trend of an increasing proliferation of persons accessing child sexual abuse material, as reflected in the findings in Hotline.ie’s forthcoming Annual Report for 2019, Minister McEntee noted that:
2019 saw the largest number of child sexual abuse material reports classified and actioned by Hotline.ie since it was set up in 1999, and represents a year-on-year increase of 79% on 2018.
I welcome the launch of the updated Code, which seeks to offer further protections to the victims of the proliferation of heinous child sexual abuse material, and also to members of the public and employees who may be exposed to the harmful effects of this material online. The Code’s enhanced focus on advisory and assessment services relies on increased collaboration across the entire industry
In line with the National Action Plan, the Minister has written to industry to encourage companies to sign-up to this essential national service. The Minister commented,
Combatting illegal, harmful and predatory use of the internet requires the broadest multi-agency responses possible. Hotline.ie supports such a collaborative approach, serving as both a conduit between An Garda Síochána and industry members and as a knowledge hub for industry.