A record number of reports of suspected illegal online material, the majority of which related to child sexual abuse, were made in 2023.
Hotline.ie, the national reporting platform for illegal content on the internet, said on Thursday that it received 40,543 reports of suspected illegal content in 2023. This was the highest number of reports in its history and a 30 per cent increase compared to 2022.
Of those report, 29,906 reports were confirmed to contain illegal material. The majority of those reports – 29,044 – related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This represented a 110 per cent increase on CSAM identified by the platform compared to 2022. The report noted a rise in self-generated CSAM content as a “troubling trend”.
Hotline.ie also identified 470 reports of intimate image abuse, and succeeded in removing 95 per cent of that content from the internet, despite it being hosted outside of Ireland. Intimate image abuse is the sharing of an intimate image without consent, and is a crime.
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The platform enjoyed a 99 per cent success rate in removing illegal content it identified on the internet.
Hotline.ie chief and former Garda detective Mick Moran said that the platform’s mission has always been to “disrupt the cycle of child sexual abuse online, prevent re-victimisation, and support law enforcement in bringing offenders to justice”.
“This vital work is made possible through the unwavering support of our partners, including founding member Eir, and the growing engagement from the public, who continue to report illegal content in increasing numbers,” he said.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said that while the report’s figures made for difficult reading, “it is essential to recognise that behind each case is a vulnerable victim, often a child”.
“The rise in public reports highlights that engagement is increasing, which is critical as we continue to adapt to new and sophisticated threats in the digital world. This Government remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring online safety.”
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