By 1995, it was clear that the internet was being misused by bad actors for the publication and exchange of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and other harmful content, including violent and extremist materials. This growing concern caught the attention of internet users, the industry, governments, and law enforcement agencies worldwide.

In response, various national initiatives were launched to combat illegal activities online, especially child exploitation. In Germany, multiple efforts began in 1995-96, spurred by high-profile court cases and parliamentary debates. Around the same time, Childnet International was established in London as a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting children's interests in global communications.

In June 1996, the first internet hotline focused on CSAM was launched in the Netherlands, with support from the police and members of the internet industry. Similar initiatives quickly followed in Norway, Belgium, and the UK by the end of the year. Other countries, including Austria, Ireland, Finland, Spain, and France, soon began developing their own hotline systems.

In 1997, Childnet International hosted a meeting to encourage collaboration between European and American hotline organizations. This meeting led to securing funding under the EC Daphne program, allowing for the creation of a forum where hotlines could discuss shared concerns. This effort culminated in the formation of the INHOPE Association, which was legally registered in the Netherlands on November 23, 1999, with eight European members. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States soon joined as well.


Today, INHOPE operates globally, with hotlines on every continent. Through regular meetings, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration with industry and law enforcement, INHOPE and its members work together to address the global challenge of CSAM.

Formed in November of 1999 by 8 hotlines, the name INHOPE comes from International Hotline Operators of Europe. However, over time this has evolved beyond Europe into a global network. INHOPE now represents the cause and positivity of the name ‘in hope’ and the hotlines that create hope for an internet free from CSAM.