Processing of reports
Nettivihje is the Finnish Hotline through which anyone can submit a report if they suspect that they have come across child sexual abuse materials or activities online.
The following may be reported to us:
- Images or videos depicting child sexual abuse
- Solicitation of a child for sexual purposes (grooming)
- Sexual harassment or abuse of a child
- Nude images of a child distributed online
- Human trafficking involving child sexual abuse
Reports submitted to the Hotline are processed in accordance with Finnish law and INHOPE’s Code of Practice. The objective of INHOPE is to speed up the removal of illegal materials from the web by promoting the flow of information to authorities and service providers.
We work in close cooperation with the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation. Information pertaining to illegal materials and activities is submitted to the Finnish authorities for assessment and further measures according to mutually agreed policies. Details (URL) of any materials assessed as illegal and infringing on children’s rights that are hosted on servers abroad will be passed on to the representative of the INHOPE network in the country where the materials are located. The hotline service will assess the materials in reference to the country’s legislation and pass on the details to both the local authorities and the service provider so that the materials can be removed from the web as quickly as possible.
If illegal materials are hosted in Finland, we will also contact the service provider directly to encourage them to contact the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation. Due to Finnish legislation, we cannot pass on the URL of the page that contains the materials to the service provider for them to remove the materials or demand that the service provider remove the materials. In many other countries, however, the INHOPE hotline service can demand that the service provider remove materials hosted in the country. A large proportion of the illegal materials referred to in the received reports are hosted outside Finland, which means that passing on the information within the INHOPE hotline network is important. The information is passed on to the other hotlines via the ICCAM system maintained by INHOPE. The system also transmits the information to Interpol.
Reports concerning suspicion of illegal activities involving children, such as the solicitation of children for sexual purposes, i.e., grooming, will be assessed and passed on to the authorities for further investigation and the necessary further measures. We also offer persons who have submitted reports guidance and advice on services that can provide further assistance. This kind of support can be accessed by providing an email address on the form when submitting a report.
- Where possible, we process all reports within 48 hours of receiving them.
- Any materials on pages that require registration or downloading will not be checked; instead, the information provided will be passed on directly to the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation.
- We will answer the sender of a report submitted with an email address as quickly as possible.
- The service itself is anonymous. The name of the expert will not be attached to any messages sent.
- Photos and videos of child sexual abuse can be reported anonymously without any of the sender’s details being recorded. Read the privacy policy of the Finnish Hotline.
Read more about the classification of child sexual abuse materials.
The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Save the Children Finland and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.