Internet and Reporting Services
Internet Services.
The number of Internet users has risen sharply with the popularity of the Internet. Many new users of the Internet, while managing to browse the Web and use other "pre-packaged" services, are grappling with the concepts underlying the Internet and the computers they are using. They do not have enough knowledge to understand potential dangers and to protect themselves effectively online. On the other hand criminals are becoming more sophisticated and are exploiting users‘ vulnerabilities, such as planting trojans to form "botnets" that assist in the distribution of spam and to make illegal material more open and easy to access while concealing their location. This dynamic affects which services are being used to distribute illegal material on the Internet.
The charts below show the Internet Services reported to the Hotline where reporters have encountered material they suspect to be illegal.
Internet services To Which Reports Referred: 2006
The Hotline received 1563 reports in relation to websites, which increased by 44% in comparison to 2005. At the same time the number of the reports about unsolicited email (or spam) decreased form 1192 to 950, by 20%. This is peculiar, because in general the amount of spam is increasing.
The Hotline believes that users are becoming exhausted by spam and using spam reduction services or simply doing bulk deletions without reading the subject lines as they did in the past. This may explain why the number of the reports received in relation to spam is decreasing. Another possible reason is that many newer users will be deeply shocked on receiving a spam with a subject line blatantly advertising child pornography for the first time. The immediate reaction is to delete it to just get rid of it off their computer. Whereas the Hotline service recommends reporting it, because it is only when the Hotline receives the information that something can be done.
Due to awareness campaigns by banks and ISPs, many users have more knowledge about 損hishing?scams, where criminals are trying to fool online banking users to revealing their personal information. Nevertheless, these remain prevalent and are becoming more sophisticated and some users are being caught. Even though financial scams represent a small proportion of overall reports, more than double were received by the Hotline in 2006 than in the previous year.
As Peer to Peer (P2P) services become more popular, one would expect more reports in relation to it, especially as finding files for download usually involves submitting a search. However the number of the reports received about the P2P services remains the same as last year. This is extraordinary because when Hotline analysts in investigating reports submit searches for stars of the music world, there are an alarming number of suspiciously titled files being shared. Therefore the Hotline pleads with P2P users not to ignore suspicious material they come across but report it. Reports made to the Hotline using the reporting forms on the www.hotline.ie website are anonymous by default. The Hotline will only investigate the reported material and does not concern itself with what the reporter may or may not have downloaded. However, the ISPAI and Hotline do not condone the infringement of copyright by using P2P services to share copyrighted artistic works without appropriate authorisation.
Hotline investigation of reports about P2P services are more difficult and time consuming than for World Wide Web content and spam. However, the possibility of conducting successful Hotline investigation of P2P reports can be achieved when all the relevant information is provided. That is, name of P2P service used, exact name of the file found, specific search terms used, the time and date when content was found and, if known the apparent IP address of the host.
Internet services To Which Reports Referred: 2005
A new phenomenon which really took off in Ireland during 2006 is the use of social networking (SN) sites, especially by children. This may explain the increase in web reports. Two reasons are postulated. One is that URLs are presented on some users SN pages that suggest viewers visit some obscure site "that‘s really cool". Users doing this occasionally find material they would have not chosen to visit. The other, is that use of SNs combined with always-on broadband, developes confidence in Internet usage and a browsing mentality. This means more time is spent online flitting along links as entertainment where occasionly suspected illegal material is accidentally discovered. With the large numbers using the Internet this relatively rare occurrence could cause the observed increase. There were very few reports where the content of SN personal pages themselves were alleged to contain content that was in itself illegal.
The Hotline service also receives many kinds of queries. Subjects vary from mobile service issues to queries outside the remit of the Hotline. One of the most common queries in 2006 was in relation to various forms of online bullying. In such cases the Hotline has advised on steps that may be taken to have the online component taken down but it can not deal with the wider issues involved.
Overall, the most popular sources reported to the www.hotline.ie service remain websites and spams. It is crucial for the Hotline to have all the information possible so it may trace the origin of the illegal content. For this reason the Hotline requests that reports are submitted via the forms provided on our website www.hotline.ie/report, where form fields prompt the reporter for the required information.
Internet services To Which Reports Referred: 2005/2006
INTERNET SERVICE AT TARGET OF REPORT RECEIVED
Internet Service
Reports received
2006
Reports received
2005
Website
1563
58.4%
1084
45.4%
Spam & Email
950
35.5%
1192
49.9%
UseNet (Newsgroups)
6
0.2%
6
0.3%
Chat (Real time)
17
0.6%
16
0.7%
Peer to Peer
44
1.6%
41
1.7%
Instant Messaging/Streaming
1
0%
2
0.1%
Mobile Phone queries
59
2.2%
7
0.3%
Other (i.e. not specific)
37
1.4%
42
1.8%
Total
2677
100%
2390
100%
