Introduction
Welcome to the Sixth Report of the Hotline.ie service. This Report, now being produced annually, details the activities of the Hotline during the period 1st January through 31st December 2008.
NAVIGATING THIS REPORT
Click here to read more about how to navigate this report.
This year we have introduced a new look to our online Annual Report. We hope you find it both informative and easy to use.
- The Report’s main sections and subsections are accessed by clicking on the required heading from the list on the left of the screen.
- The section currently being displayed is highlighted in white.
When displaying a subsection, the parent section continues to be highlighted and a pointer and underline shows the displayed subsection. - Where a section or subsection spans multiple screens, page numbers will appear at the bottom of the page. Click these to browse back and forth through the pages of that section.
- Text panels on the right of the screen will provide additional information. Click to access them. Click anywhere on the screen or press the 'Esc' key to close.
- Also, where graphs are small, click on them to enlarge.
Click anywhere on the screen or press the 'Esc' key to close.
FIGHTING CRIMINAL MISUSE
The Report highlights two very positive trends in 2008. Reports received show Irish Internet users have confronted less illegal online content and none of the illegal content reported was found to be hosted in, or distributed from, the Republic of Ireland. All the facts and figures, along with reporting trends, are examined in the section: 2008 Analysis. The Report is a comprehensive insight into a relentless campaign to stem criminal misuse of the Internet and, in particular, the horrendous re-victimisation of children perpetrated through the online exchange of images and videos of child sexual abuse.
VITAL PUBLIC TOOL
You, the reader, are central to making the Internet a safer place for everyone, particularly children. Hotline.ie is a vital tool which allows you to anonymously submit reports about suspicious content encountered online.
The section: Operational Background,
describes how the Hotline system works
and that public vigilance
is crucial to the ongoing
battle waged by ISPs and
law enforcement to stem
illegal activity on the Internet.
