Approaches to tackling online child pornography using administrative coercion

At the request of the Ministry of Justice and Security, we, in collaboration with bureau Beke, conducted research on the technical and factual steps to remove online child pornography using administrative enforcement. Child pornography must be removed from the internet as quickly as possible. Most ICT companies unintentionally and occasionally have this material on websites or servers and remove it after a notification from the Reporting Centre for Child Pornography (EOKM). As a form of self-regulation, a structured process has been designed to align as much as possible with self-regulation processes within the sector (notice-and-takedown procedure). Self-regulation by the sector (specifically Internet Service Providers and Hosting Service Providers) for the removal of online child pornography works well for handling the majority of notifications from the EOKM. Content is voluntarily removed essentially within 24 hours. However, a small group of companies do not cooperate or do so inadequately (so-called 'bad hosters'). Within the Ministry of Justice and Security, administrative legal measures are being explored to address this group. This research was conducted in the context of the ‘renewed approach to online sexual child abuse’. Minister Grapperhaus informed the Dutch House of Representatives on 3 July about the renewed approach and administrative enforcement. Read the relevant Chamber letter here.