Since its establishment in 2011, the Internet Hotline, operated by the NMHH, has remained committed to making the online space safer for both children and adults. Last year IH received 1,480 reports, with an overwhelming majority—approximately 80%—requiring intervention, a significant increase compared to the 42% intervention rate recorded in 2021. IH analysts responded directly to its complainants in 926 cases throughout the year.

In 2024, 67% of reports were submitted non-anonymously, which IH analysts regard as a strong sign of trust from the complainants. Among these, 51 children and 63 parents reached out to the IH with sensitive issues. Since October 2024, IH has been officially operating as a Trusted Flagger under the Digital Services Act (DSA), enabling it to provide even more effective assistance.

A notable trend in 2024 was the convergence in the proportion of reports across the three most common categories. Nevertheless, the largest share of reports—26%—continued to concern the online sexual abuse of children. Closely following at 25% was the category of content published without consent, predominantly involving misuse of intimate images of adults. The third most frequent category was phishing-related reports, accounting for every sixth report.

Nearly a quarter of the non-anonymous reports related to online sexual abuse of children were submitted by minors or their parents. According to analysts, more than half of the URLs examined within this category likely contained child pornography. Based on IH’s experience, the victims were predominantly girls, though the proportion of boy victims increased compared to previous years, with over half of the victims being under 12 years old. These materials were typically produced in home environments, such as children’s bedrooms or bathrooms, though some reports involved images taken in photo studios or at beaches. Analysts estimated that around 4% of the content was likely generated using artificial intelligence.

As part of its educational and awareness-raising activities, IH staff delivered nearly 80 presentations, conference appearances, and outreach events throughout the year, directly reaching approximately 5,700 individuals—including children, parents, teachers and child protection professionals.

A highlight of 2024’s communications was the IH’s autumn campaign under the motto “Dare to Ask for Help!”, which generated extensive media reach. The campaign was supported by two influencer partners, Pamkutya and the Mélylevegő Project. Although the campaign was time-limited, the IH’s message remains timeless: it is vital that victims of online abuse dare to ask for help!

Since its establishment, the Internet Hotline has handled nearly 19,000 reports. The legal aid service covers eight reporting categories in total and collaborates with three key partners to enhance its effectiveness: domestically, with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Kék Vonal Child Crisis Foundation, and internationally since 2012 with INHOPE, the global network uniting national hotlines combating online child sexual abuse.

Reports can be submitted to the Internet Hotline via the webform form, or by email at internethotline@internethotline.hu.