“I’ve reported several times to the group administrator and to the moderatory team of the social media platform that child sexual abuse material is being shared in the group, but nothing was done—these horrific materials remained accessible.” Reports sent to the Internet Hotline often begin with this or a similar description. An example: last year IH analysts were effectively powerless in 39 cases involving allegedly illegal content on Telegram. This year, however, they have already intervened in 57 cases, most of them successfully. What changed over the course of a year? The IH became a trusted flagger.

Under the DSA—aimed at making the online environment safer, more transparent, and more lawful—organisations may apply for trusted flagger status if they can demonstrate transparent and reliable operations as well as outstanding experience in handling reports and facilitating the removal of illegal online content. Applicants undergo a rigorous assessment and must submit extensive documentation to prove their eligibility. The IH received the accreditation in October 2024, granting the service significantly stronger means of advocacy.

For more than a decade, the IH has worked to build effective relationships with the largest and most widely used online platforms so that service providers give heightened moderator attention to the hotline’s reports. The legal assistance service has maintained long-standing partnerships with Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Discord. One of the key benefits of becoming a trusted flagger was that some providers proactively reached out to the IH themselves, offering direct reporting channels—including Telegram, AliExpress (Alibaba Group), eBay, Aylo, and Snapchat.

Moreover, the accreditation elevated existing partnerships to a new level: platforms now respond to IH notifications more quickly and effectively, treat them as a higher priority, and provide detailed information about the actions they take. IH experts may also lodge appeals if they disagree with a platform’s decision—an avenue of dialogue that was far less common in the past.

Given the rise in reports linked to Telegram in recent months, the establishment of effective cooperation with the platform is particularly significant. Telegram is used, among other things, to disseminate recordings depicting the sexual abuse of children, to trade such content, and to groom minors for sexual purposes. Previously, the IH—like other hotlines worldwide—was practically powerless in dealing with Telegram. Today, however, a genuine dialogue has emerged between the IH and the platform. The provider reviews IH reports without delay and typically acts upon them swiftly—usually within 24 hours—fully complying with the hotline’s requests.

Over the past year, not only has cooperation with platforms changed; users themselves are turning to the IH with growing awareness. In 2025, numerous reports noted that the notifier had consulted the European Commission’s official list and seen that the IH is recognised as a trusted flagger—prompting them to seek help in that capacity. This demonstrates that the status represents not only a professional but also a socially meaningful form of validation. The number of foreign-language inquiries from individuals abroad has also increased, and IH analysts are processing these cases as well.