Foreword by ISPAI General Manager
The almost limitless social potential of the Internet as a gateway to knowledge and positive tool for communication
is, regrettably, also criminally abused by a minority within society. ISPAI’s members take such abuse very seriously,
especially when it comes to the activities of those who sexually abuse children and exchange photographs and videos
of their horrendous crimes using the Internet.
ISPs do not in any way, shape or form wish to tolerate this material being present on the Internet facilities we provide. That is why collectively ISPAI members fund Hotline.ie which acts as an early warning system for the public to bring attention to suspected illegal content that has been placed on our networks. However, the challenge just begins with such a report.
Unlike the physical world, when you browse the Internet in Ireland and "witness" something you suspect to be illegal, although you are seeing it in Ireland, more likely than not, the images are actually electronically stored in another country, the incident itself probably took place elsewhere and the offender uploaded the images using ISP services provided from yet another jurisdiction.
Foreword contd.
This borderless, global reality that is the Internet brings new challenges which need new responses that go beyond the national reach. The responses must also work with the rapidity that is the hallmark of this instantaneous age.
The INHOPE network, of which Hotline.ie is a part, is one such response. It brings together NGOs and the ISP industry to cooperate with law enforcement and strives to remove illegal child abuse material from the Internet as quickly as possible once it is discovered, no matter where in the world it is located. ISPAI through Hotline.ie has now been part of this effort for over ten years.
While is regrettable that our clean record has been broken, three positives I would like to highlight from the Report are:
- The downward trend from a peak in 2007, of confirmed illegal content (which is predominantly child sexual abuse images) encountered by the public, is indeed continuing.
- Our procedures, together with those of An Garda Síochána, were proven very effective in dealing with the first ever case of child pornography reported through the Hotline.ie service where the illegal Web content was found to be hosted in Ireland.
- This country has an excellent record in not having our web hosting services abused for the storage of child sexual abuse material.
Foreword contd.
I must pay tribute to the tremendous and tough job which the Hotline Analysts carry out both in Hotline.ie and the other INHOPE hotlines around the world. Their efforts help to make the Internet a safer place for everyone, especially our children.
The work of hotlines only goes as far as forwarding technical details of the whereabouts of illegal content on to the various national police forces. It is they who follow up where possible, and undertake often lengthy and difficult investigations to apprehend the perpetrators. I therefore wish to thank An Garda Síochána for the great work they do in this field, their support of Hotline.ie and that they handle reports from us destined for countries where INHOPE does not have a presence.
I must also thank the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern, T.D., and the Office for Internet Safety (OIS) within his Department for their support of the hotline and the excellent work of the OIS in coordinating activities nationwide to promote safer Internet practices.
Paul Durrant
General Manager
Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland Ltd.
