In 2024, a total of 2,497,438 URLs with suspected child sexual abuse material (CSAM) reported in ICCAM, the database also used by Interpol, were analysed by hotline analysts from INHOPE member hotlines. This represents a huge increase of 218 % compared to 2023.

65% of all content examined, i.e. 1,634,636 URLs, was found to be illegal, corresponding to a 202% increase relative to the previous year. In 2024, 37 % of all reported content was added to the database as “new content”, meaning that analysts had not previously encountered that content, which was presumed to be newly produced and depicting sexual abuse of children.

What could be behind the record high numbers in 2024?

In the 20 years since INHOPE started collecting data, it has never recorded such an extremely high number of uploads to the ICCAM system. In analysing the record numbers, hotline staff highlighted emerging trends such as the sexual extortion of children for financial gain, the misuse of generative artificial intelligence, the increasing use of encrypted messaging platforms and the abuse of self-generated CSAM. In addition, the so-called iCAP (“Invite Child Abuse Pyramid”) sites appeared in 2024, which, alongside image uploading sites, have now become prominent channels for the distribution of CSAM. These sites operate through affiliate-style systems and use social media platforms for distribution.

INHOPE’s Annual Report underlines that capacity and network building as well as increased cross-sectoral cooperation are essential to address the growing challenges. As the threat grows, INHOPE member hotlines continue to be at the forefront of content removal, working tirelessly to address reports in close cooperation with each other and local law enforcement agencies.

Characteristics of the victims

The vast majority of records (93%) involve children under 13, up from 83% last year.

The summary also shows that girls are much more affected by sexual abuse: In 2024, 98% of the reported infringing contents featured girls, 1% depicted boys, and the remaining 1% depicted both girls and boys. Although in smaller doses, male children are also exposed to sexual abuse.

According to INHOPE’s Annual Report, most CSAM content globally continued to be hosted on servers in the Netherlands (59 %) and the US (13 %). They are followed by Slovakia (5 %) and Bulgaria (4 %). Statistics show that CSAM was hosted in 86 countries around the world. According to statistics, criminals who distribute CSAM explicitly rarely use hosting sites in Hungary.

Internet Hotline relevance

Since 2011, the NMHH has been operating its legal assistance service, the Internet Hotline, which receives reports from users and foreign hotlines in 8 categories, including CSAM and child pornography. Internet Hotline joined INHOPE 13 years ago, in 2012.

Last year, the Internet Hotline reported 274 URLs hosted on foreign servers in the ICCAM system that it suspected, on the basis of hotline analysts’ investigation, of depicting child sexual abuse, in relation to 142 reports. The Internet Hotline received reports from foreign INHOPE member hotlines about 56 URLs that were available on Hungarian servers and that the reporting foreign hotline believed could be CSAM.

INHOPE is asking users everywhere to report, even anonymously, any CSAM they come across online, rather than ignore it.

The NMHH Internet Hotline accepts reports via its reporting interface (https://ekapu.nmhh.hu/ugyLetrehozas/DO643120 ) or at the email address internethotline@internethotline.hu.

About INHOPE in general

The International Association of Internet Hotlines (INHOPE) was launched in 1999 with the aim of preventing the spread of CSAM on the Internet and supporting the work of law enforcement agencies in detecting related crimes. INHOPE has been in existence for 25 years and currently links 55 hotlines in 52 countries.

The data included in its Annual Report is based on ICCAM, a database operated by the INHOPE and used by INHOPE member hotlines and Interpol, which allows the sharing of URLs to CSAM between hotlines for investigation and analysis. It works by allowing all content to be checked by the hotline of the country in which the content is hosted.

The full INHOPE Annual Report is available in English as a PDF at the following link: INHOPE Annual Report 2024.