Aqra bil-Malti

The internet has proved to be a good benefit to society: it reduces geographical distance and facilitates information sharing, it offers a plethora of educational skills for both children and adults, improves their writing and language skills. It can also act as a medium for referral and advice. Any person can publish information and material on the internet and any person can access to any type of information. The fact that the internet enables easy and private access even to children, has provided children's increased access to offensive and/or age-inappropriate material and increased opportunity for the sexual exploitation for children through online chatting as the internet can allow opportunities for offenders to be deceptive about their true intentions and identities.

The hotline aims to fight against this dark side of the internet¹. It offers a secure and confidential environment where the public can report:

(i) Different kinds of sexualised images of children
This involves a wide range of such pictures and each picture has its own level of gravity.

(ii) Approaches by adults to children through internet chatting
An offender may lurk in Internet chat rooms, gathering information, transmitting pornographic material or invite a child to send his/her photos or undress in front of the webcam. An opportunity may also arise to move the conversation with a child to a private chat room, and then ultimately arrange a real life meeting.

The hotline will also provide useful information and resources to the general public and to different sections of the population about internet safety.

¹ With regards to adult pornography, our aim is not to block adult porn sites but to educate children, as well as parents and teachers, of the dangers of exposition to certain types of sexual material and how to avoid viewing such material.