Are you an
organisation interested
in establishing a hotline?
Our membership is at the centre of everything we do. The value of INHOPE lies in its global reach and international network of stakeholders all working together towards a common goal: a digital world free of CSAM.
This goal can only be achieved by establishing a hotline in every country to ensure that no place is left behind. The speed of CSAM removal depends on having hotlines where content is hosted. In countries with INHOPE hotlines, illegal material can be removed in as little as 2.5 days. Without a hotline, removal can take 25 days or more, prolonging the re-victimisation of children.
INHOPE is continuously working towards expanding its network of hotlines, with a focus on high-priority countries with high hosting and low reporting rates.
We support prospective hotlines from the very beginning, working locally to navigate cultural contexts, build relationships with national law enforcement and internet service providers, and establish the legal frameworks needed for effective operations, while situating hotlines within the wider national response to OCSEA.
Our expansion focuses on regions with the greatest need, including Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, and Latin America. Whether your country has no infrastructure yet or early-stage stakeholder interest, we guide you through a structured process, typically taking 12 to 22 months from initial contact to provisional membership.
Begin by connecting with us at samantha.woolfe@inhope.org. We'll help you identify key stakeholders, including law enforcement, government bodies, internet service providers, and civil society organisations. The first months focus on building a national coalition and understanding the requirements for operating a hotline.
The typical timeline is 12 to 22 months from initial contact to provisional membership. The first 2 to 8 months involve monthly meetings with INHOPE, stakeholder roundtables, and technical training. Months 5 to 7 focus on establishing a web-reporting form. A Quality Assurance visit occurs around months 8 to 12, followed by application for provisional membership at an INHOPE Annual General Meeting.
A hotline needs legal authority to operate (typically through a Memorandum of Understanding with law enforcement), trained analysts, secure technology for processing reports (such as Report Box and ICCAM), a web-reporting form for public reports, and partnerships with hosting providers for content removal. INHOPE provides templates, training, and guidance for each element.
INHOPE provides monthly meetings throughout the establishment process, technical training on Report Box (months 2 to 8), assistance organising stakeholder roundtables, templates and best practices from the network, guidance on web-reporting forms, invitations to bi-annual Hotline Training Meetings, CORE training for analysts, INTERPOL Content Assessment training, and communications support for awareness-raising campaigns.
As soon as you have a web-reporting page in place and a signed Memorandum of Understanding with your national law enforcement agency, you can receive reports. If using Report Box, you'll receive training in months 1 to 4, and can begin accepting reports once trained. INHOPE provides templates and examples from other hotlines' reporting pages.
Training is ongoing throughout the process. If using Report Box, initial training occurs in months 1 to 4. CORE training for analysts follows, teaching how to trace content and INHOPE best practices. Once analysts start using ICCAM, they attend Content Assessment training at INTERPOL. Analysts also have access to INHOPE's Online Training Platform and bi-annual in-person Hotline Training Meetings.
A buddy hotline is typically assigned around the time provisional membership begins, though one can be assigned earlier if needed. INHOPE staff are available to answer questions and provide support from the moment initial contact is made.
This is common in emerging hotline regions. INHOPE can introduce tools like the WeProtect Global Alliance Model National Response and connect you with policymakers and legal experts who can support legislative development.
Absolutely. INHOPE facilitates peer connections and regional meetings where prospective hotlines can learn from established members facing similar challenges. You'll also be invited to bi-annual training meetings to exchange best practices with other hotlines.