EuroISPA highlights importance of self-regulation in ensuring a safe Internet environment

The European Internet Service Providers Association marked the 2015 Safer Internet Day by highlighting the importance of industry self-regulation in ensuring the Internet is a safe environment for all, especially the young. Counting several national hotline operators among its membership, EuroISPA fully supports the Safer Internet Day’s “lets create a better internet together” message.

EuroISPA members in France, Germany, Ireland and Austria take a leading role at national level to help ensure the internet is a safe environment for young users. Through industry-funded and managed national hotlines, a secure and confidential environment is provided where the public can anonymously report Internet material they suspect to be illegal.

As the most up-to-date INHOPE data confirms, 98 % of all user reports to national hotlines are forwarded to law enforcement agencies within one day. Moreover, in 91 % of cases, illegal content is deleted within three days. With over 500 000 reports made to European hotlines each year, EuroISPA calls on the EU and its Member States to maintain strong support for hotlines dedicated to ensuring a safer internet.

““EuroISPA strongly supports the principle of ‘working together for a better Internet’ that is promoted by Safer Internet Day. As Internet services rapidly evolve, fast and flexible responses are necessary to ensure downside issues such as illegal content are properly addressed. As the experience and daily work of our hotline-operating members continue to show, the distribution of illegal content over the Internet can best be tackled by the industry and its users cooperating within a self-regulatory approach, governed by the existing legal principles agreed at European level.", said Nicolas D’Arcy, co-chair of EuroISPA’s safer internet committee.