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About Netzmelden

What Can You Report to Netzmelden? (And What Can’t You Report?)

On Netzmelden, you can report content on the internet that violates German laws or a platform’s guidelines. This can include content on online platforms as well as entire websites.

This includes:

  • Spam or fraud

    • Spam, fraud, phishing, malware

  • Nudity or sexual content

    • Distribution of pornographic content

    • Violent or animal pornography

    • Violations of the highly personal sphere of privacy

  • Protection of minors

    • Child sexual abuse material and child pornography

    • Cybergrooming

    • Minors depicted in unnaturally sexualized poses

    • Instructions for the sexual abuse of children

    • Sale of nude images of minors

  • Bullying or harassment

    • Insults, threats, coercion

  • Hate or extremist content

    • Incitement of hatred

    • Propaganda materials and symbols of unconstitutional or terrorist organizations

    • Insults against religious beliefs, religious communities, or ideological organizations

    • Defamation of the memory of deceased persons

    • Defamation of the state and its symbols

  • Glorification of violence or disturbing content

    • Depictions of violence

    • Public calls to commit crimes

    • Disturbance of public peace through threats of criminal acts

    • Instructions for committing crimes

    • Rewarding or approving of criminal acts

    • Approval, denial, or trivialization of the Holocaust

    • Glorification of war

    • Animal cruelty

    • Preparation of a serious act of violence endangering the state

    • Instructions for carrying out a serious act of violence endangering the state

  • Dangerous acts and challenges

    • Dangerous activities involving visible or threatened serious physical harm

    • Eating or drinking substances that are dangerous for humans

    • Improper use of dangerous tools

  • Distribution of personal information

    • Dangerous dissemination of personal data

    • Unauthorized processing of personal data

  • Drugs, weapons, and illegal activities

    • Possession, production, or sale of drugs or weapons

    • Consumption of alcohol or tobacco products by minors

    • Formation, recruitment, or support of criminal organizations

    • Sale of specially protected animals and plants

    • Counterfeiting / counterfeit products

  • Suicide or self-harm

    • Announcements or depictions of suicide

    • Self-harm

    • Eating disorders

  • Support for terrorism

    • Formation, recruitment, or support of terrorist organizations

  • False information

    • Forgery of data relevant as evidence

    • Harmful disinformation relating to elections or health issues

    • Treasonous forgery

Please understand that, as a German reporting service, we generally cannot process content in languages other than German and English.

Unfortunately, Netzmelden Cannot Help You With:

  • Copyright issues

  • Identity theft

  • Missing legal notice (Impressum)

  • Missing privacy policy

  • Forgotten passwords

  • Recovering a hacked account

  • Lifting an account suspension

How Can I Report Something to Netzmelden?

To report content to Netzmelden, you need a link to the relevant content.

What Happens After I Submit a Report to Netzmelden?

After receiving your report, our team reviews the content for violations of German laws or applicable guidelines. We aim to process reports within 24 hours, although some cases may take longer.

If we determine that the content violates German laws or guidelines, we forward it through a special channel to the responsible online platform or hosting provider so that the content can be removed as quickly as possible.

If the content is potentially criminal and the person responsible is believed to be located in Germany, we preserve the relevant evidence and file a criminal complaint with a specialized public prosecutor’s office on behalf of Netzmelden before the content is removed.

If you provide an email address when submitting your report, we will keep you informed by email about the status of our review and the outcome of your report.

How Long Does It Take to Process a Report?

The processing time depends on the complexity of the case and the number of reports currently being handled by Netzmelden. Our volunteer team aims to process reports within 24 hours, but in some cases this may take longer. We ask for your understanding.

After we have reviewed your report and forwarded it to the relevant online platform or hosting provider, they will make efforts to remove the content as quickly as possible. The time required for removal depends on the platform, and we have no control over how long this process takes.

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