Hotline Operations Manual

Introduction

What is SafenetCY?

SafenetCY is the Cyberethics Safer Internet Hotline through which illegal or disturbing content can be reported. The hotline operates island-wide (serving also Turkish-Cypriots and other minorities) and focuses on reports of child sexual abuse images and racism/xenophobia. The project engages actors from the government and civil society, therefore contributing towards the eradication of cyber crime in more than one sector. The hotline offers the opportunity to all people to report through the various different reporting methods that it entails (i.e. telephone, email and website).

What are the specific Objectives for the Hotline?

• Operate an island-wide hotline for Internet users in Cyprus to report illegal and harmful material and activities, so as to reduce the circulation of illegal content on the Internet.
• Inform users of the hotline’s scope of activity and how to contact it; clarify to the users the difference between the hotline’s activities and those of public authorities, and inform them of the existence of alternative ways of reporting illegal content.
• Establish, if necessary, and operate a hotline to receive information from the public relating to illegal
• Content which will act as a national alert platform or as an alert platform common to several Member States;
• Draw up a manual of procedures in cooperation with law enforcement authorities and in accordance with best practice guidelines;
• Deal rapidly with complaints received;
• Where permitted under national law and the manual of procedures, undertake a preliminary assessment of the legality of the content reported and trace its origin;
• Forward the report to the appropriate body for action (police, ISP, correspondent hotline);
• Conduct systematic notice to the host service provider of content assessed as illegal child abuse material, unless the police have requested the hotline not to do so;
• Participate actively in networking with other local stakeholders;
• Take part in cross-border discussions and exchange of best practice with other co-funded hotlines and with other stakeholders as part of the network.
• Contribute to the European URL database once set up by the network coordinator.