QuickLinks - Safer Internet awareness

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Issue no. 395 - 27 December 2008

• EU - New Safer Internet Programme (RAPID)
  The EU will have a new Safer Internet Programme as of 1 January 2009. Following the overwhelmingly positive vote on 23 October in which the European Parliament expressed its support for the new Safer Internet Programme, the Council of Ministers has adopted the new Programme covering the period 2009-2013. It was proposed by the European Commission to protect children in the ever more sophisticated online world and empower them to safely use web services like social networking, blogging and instant messaging.

• IE - New guide warns parents of bullying by mobile phone (Irish Times)
  Parents can help protect their children and teenagers from mobile phone-based bullying, according to a new guide produced by the Irish Cellular Industry Association (ICIA). The mobile operators in Ireland - Vodafone, O2, Meteor and 3 - have come together to publish Mobile phones: A parent's guide to safe and sensible use. The booklet warns that young people using mobile phones can be bullied, communicate with people they should not, view online content that is unsuitable for their age and waste money. However, when the owner of an account is a child, operators offer parents a service called "dual access". This means parents can check the numbers their child has been calling and texting, and keep an eye on the amount of money spent. Parents can also ask operators to block certain services.

• Safety, education, and empowerment on YouTube (YouTube Blog)
  YouTube's new Abuse and Safety Center features straightforward safety tips and multimedia resources from experts and prominent safety organizations. The new center also makes it easier for you to find our Help and Safety Tool, which lets you report concerns to us and gives you granular control over your channel, like the option of blocking comments from specific users or disabling the video comments feature on specific videos. The Abuse and Safety Center is easy to find. Just look at the bottom of any YouTube page and click on the link titled "Abuse and Safety Center.".

• US - Online safety czar called for (Net Family News)
  The Family Online Safety Institute has called on President-Elect Obama to promote "a national strategy on how to best educate children, tweens, teens and their parents on online ethics, safety and cybercitizenship". In a report, FOSI CEO Stephen Balkam, makes four recommendations: that the Obama administration 1) hold an annual White House Online Safety Summit, 2) create a US Council for Internet Safety 3) create a $100 million online-safety program to fund research and educational and awareness campaigns, and 4) create a National Safety Officer position in the office of the US's new chief technology officer.

Issue no. 394 - 7 December 2008

• FR - Un film pour alerter sur les dangers potentiels d'internet (Actualité - Presse)
  Le secrétariat d'Etat à la Famille fera diffuser sur les principales chaines TV un film qui alerte sur les dangers potentiels d'Internet. Traduit en 12 langues et diffusé dans de nombreux pays européens, il à déjà reçu deux récompenses, dont le « New York festival International Advertising Awards ». En France, il sera diffusé durant la période de Noël sur les chaines du réseau hertzien et de la TNT.

Issue no. 393 - 9 November 2008

• EU - Commission welcomes European Parliament's strong support for a new Safer Internet Programme (RAPID)
  The European Parliament cast an overwhelmingly positive vote on the report drafted by MEP Roberta Angelilli which supports the launch of a new EU Safer Internet programme. The 5-year programme (2009-13), proposed by the European Commission last February, will have a budget of € 55 million to combat illegal online content but also to tackle illegal and harmful conduct such as grooming and cyberbullying. EU - Multiannual Community programme on protecting children using the Internet and other communication technologies - Position of the European Parliament.

• EU - ENISA launches 'Children on Virtual Worlds' 25 parental safety tips, (ENISA)
  The European Network and Information Security Network Agency has launched a report on virtual worlds with 25 safety tips for parents on how to make their children behave safely in online virtual worlds. These tips provide clear and comprehensive tools for parents to decide with their child what is appropriate and safe, to behave responsibly as well as to have fun in virtual worlds.

• US - Good online-safety law passed (Net Family News)
  Actually, online-safety education is only one part of the just-passed "Broadband Data Improvement Act" designed to improve our understanding of how much of the US has high-speed Internet access so the government can "ensure the continued rollout of broadband access, as well as the successful deployment of the next generation of broadband technology". The bill charges the Federal Trade Commission with establishing (within 90 days of enactment) an Internet safety and tech working group of experts in public and private sectors, creating a nationwide Net-safety public-awareness program, and promoting best practices within the Internet industry.

Issue no. 392 - 5 October 2008

• FR- Morano: «Il faudrait une police internationale de la Toile» (Figaro)
  INTERVIEW - La secrétaire d'État à la Famille propose «huit conseils pour protéger les enfants sur Internet» sur une plaquette distribuée aux parents des écoliers.

• US - Supporting families, searching for online safety solutions (Google Public Policy Blog)
  Posted by Patricia Moll, International Policy Manager. Google hosted several events for the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) at our headquarters in Mountain View. See also FOSI Roundtable - 'Searching for Online Safety Solutions'. FOSI's roundtable was held at the Googleplex, Mountain View, California. Entitled 'Searching for Online Safety Solutions', it attracted over forty participants. With panellists from Facebook, MySpace, Ning, Google, Yahoo!, AT&T, Second Life, Loopt and YouTube, it provided a fascinating insight into the online safety measures already deployed by industry and how they protect families online.

Issue no. 390 - 20 July 2008

• UK - Children discuss internet safety (BBC)
  Children from around the world are meeting in London to discuss how they can better protect themselves from the dangers posed by the internet. More than 150 teenagers from 19 different countries will attend the five-day conference and voice their opinions to government and industry. Their aim is to draw up a global online charter to be presented to the UN. see also Canberra kids to give Aussie insight at global online safety forum (Computerworld) and Young Canadians Attend International Youth Advisory Congress on Online Safety and Security Conference (RCMP Media Relations).

• UK - Plan to protect children online unveiled (Guardian)
  The government has unveiled an action plan to make the internet safer for children with a £9m ad campaign promoting "e-safety" and setting up a council on child internet safety. The action plan, unveiled today by the department for children, schools and families, aims to deliver on Dr Tanya Byron's recommendations in her report "safer children in a digital world". See Byron Review Action Plan.

• US - Keeping kids safe in a digital world (Official Google Blog)
  In the spirit of National Internet Safety Month, we welcomed Ernie Allen, co-founder and president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to the Googleplex last week to discuss child protection issues. In a policy talk called "Beyond Milk Cartons: Keeping kids safe in a digital world", Ernie provided an overview of NCMEC's work and chatted with Googlers about the ever-changing landscape of child protection challenges shared by parents, educators, advocacy organizations, and technology companies like Google as we work to help families make smart choices online. Watch Ernie's talk on YouTube.

Issue no. 389 - 22 June 2008

• IN - Google India launches nationwide Internet safety campaign (Press Release)
  Google India has launched a national Internet safety campaign called 'Be NetSmart'. The campaign was launched in Mumbai, in collaboration with the Mumbai Police. 'Be NetSmart' is an interactive campaign focussed on students in sixth standard and above. The sessions in schools cover topics that range from maintaining confidentiality and not interacting with strangers online to tips on downloading content, posting pictures, online chatting etc. In addition to students, parents and teachers are also being educated on Internet awareness and the need to be involved with children.

Issue no. 387 - 12 May 2008

• Charity advice on music downloads (BBC)
  The charity Childnet is launching a global information campaign to warn children about the potential dangers of downloading music illegally. The campaign, which is supported by the music industry, will distribute a pocket-sized guide to schools and colleges in 21 countries. Childnet says the risks include breach of copyright, the threat of viruses and the loss of privacy and security.

• EU - ICT industry alliance launches TeachToday initiative (Press Release)
  Fourteen leading mobile operators, mobile content, social networking companies and internet providers have launched TeachToday.eu, a website designed to help teachers encourage children to use the internet and mobile technology responsibly and safely. This is the first time such a significant number of major businesses have worked together to address this complex issue. This initiative was launched in Brussels in the presence of Commissioner Viviane Reding.

• FR - Protection de l'enfance et les sites communautaires (ZDNet.fr)
  Dailymotion, YouTube et consorts s'engagent à promouvoir un DVD éducatif édité par e-Enfance, destiné à sensibiliser les parents. Les sites communautaires veulent démontrer leur bonne volonté en matière de protection de l'enfance. L'Asic, leur organisation professionnelle, vient de signer un partenariat avec l'association e-Enfance dans le domaine de la protection des mineurs. Il s'agit pour l'instant essentiellement d'un effort de communication : les sites web 2.0 s'engagent à faire la promotion du DVD « Enfants, Ados : l'internet sans danger » sur leur site, par le biais de bandeaux publicitaires ou d'insertions dans des lettres d'information.

• UK - Child web-safety guide launched (BBC)
  New teaching resources aimed at helping primary school children surf the web safely have been launched. Figures from regulator Ofcom suggest 500,000 five to seven-year-olds are allowed to go online unsupervised. Teachers have expressed concern many are joining gaming or social networking sites and leaving personal details without realising the risks. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (CEOP) has devised a cartoon series to warn of the dangers.

Issue no. 386 - 20 April 2008

• US - Keeping Kids Safe Online: Myths & Tips (CBSNEWS.com)
  Larry Magid debunks the prevailing myths about teen safety on the social Web. [Ed: worth reading in full.]

Issue no. 385 - 21 March 2008

• AU - Education 'as effective as internet filtering' (Australian IT)
  Better education about online safety would be just as effective as internet filtering to prevent children from accessing inappropriate material on the web, according to a report by Australia's communications watchdog. Targeted education campaigns such as those in Europe would also teach children about the dangers of online fraud and illegal contact from adults, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) said in the first of three reports on online safety to be prepared for the Federal Government.

• EU - An even safer internet for children (RAPID)
  The European Commission has proposed a new Safer Internet programme to enhance the safety of children in the online environment. Encompassing recent communications services from the Web 2.0, such as social networking, the new programme will fight not only illegal content but also harmful behaviour such as bullying and grooming. With a budget of €55 million, the programme, which builds further on the successful Safer Internet programme started in 2005, will run from 2009 to 2013.

• EU extends net safety programme (BBC)
  The European Commission is spending 55m euros on making the net a safer place for children. The money will be spent over four years on educational efforts and ways to protect children from inappropriate content and cyber bullying. It will also research the ways that children use the net on computers and other devices such as mobile phones.

• Just how risky is the Net for kids? (Net Family News)
  That's the question dad and tech writer David Pogue looks at in a recent column (New York Times). He writes about a past writing assignment on the subject, but now he looks at the kid-danger question in a new light: "As my own children approach middle school, my own fears align with the [PBS "Growing Up Online"] documentary's findings in another way: that cyberbullying is a far more realistic threat." See also Social Networking Risks: The Myths and Realities by Nancy Willard and "Growing Up Online: Discussion Needed [linking to the PBS show, which can be viewed in full online.]

• US - How Dangerous Is the Internet for Children? (New York Times)
  by David Pogue. A few years ago, a parenting magazine asked me to write an article about the dangers that children face when they go online. As it turns out, I was the wrong author for the article they had in mind. The editor was deeply disappointed by my initial draft. Its chief message was this: "Sure, there are dangers. But they're hugely overhyped by the media."

Issue no. 384 - 24 February 2008

• EU - Internet Day highlights web risks (BBC)
  Safer Internet Day is being marked around Europe with events to educate children and parents about net dangers. Themed events will reveal the risks of sharing too much personal data and warn children that their virtual friends may not be who they say they are. Public events will encourage parents to oversee their children's online life so they know who they are talking to. In the UK schools were encouraged to run assemblies that discuss how children should behave online. see Safer Internet Day has arrived! The fifth annual edition of Safer Internet Day has surpassed all records, with 55 countries taking part across the world from New Zealand to Costa Rica and Taiwan to Greenland. SID 2008 events (INSAFE). See also Let's listen to children: They know how to make the Internet a safer place! (Commission Press Release) Today, 100 organisations in over 50 countries worldwide celebrate Safer Internet Day. In Brussels a first ever pan-European Youth Forum on Safer Internet is organised by the European Commission with the participation of Meglena Kuneva, the EU's Consumer Commissioner. The purpose is to increase dialogue between children and decision makers on safer Internet issues and to raise awareness of the best ways for protecting minors online. Safer Internet Day is organised under the patronage of the EU's Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding.

• EU - Safer Internet Day: Jugendliche sichern das Internet (Heise)
  27 Jugendliche aus neun europäischen Ländern hat die EU Kommission zum fünften Safer Internet Tag nach Brüssel geladen, damit sie Politikern und den anwesenden Telekommunikationsunternehmen ihre Vorschläge für ein "kindersicheres" Internet präsentieren. Ganz oben stand bei den 14- bis 17-Jährigen der Wunsch nach besser ausgebildeten Lehrern. Insgesamt 55 Länder haben sich mit verschiedenen Aktionen am Safer Internet Day beteiligt.

Issue no. 382 - 6 January 2008

• US - Cyber Safety in a Web 2.0 World: What Parents and Policymakers Need to Know (Progress & Freedom Foundation)
  As the Internet becomes more entwined in young people's lives, parents are finding they need assistance in teaching their children how to stay safe online. Leading experts at the October 3rd book event discussed their respective books on online child safety and the best tools and methods available to parents. he event also featured an address by Representative Melissa Bean (D-IL 8th), author of the SAFER NET Act, which supports educational efforts as the appropriate role of the government in online child safety. Adam Thierer, Moderator, The Honorable Melissa L. Bean, Sharon Miller Cindrich, Larry Magid and Nancy E. Willard.

Issue no. 380 - 30 September 2007

• EG - International Youth Forum - Rules of Engagement: What it Takes to be Safe on the Net. (Press Release)
  At the International Youth Forum in Sharm-El-Sheikh, Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak attended the session on "Rules of Engagement: What it Takes to be Safe on the Net". Speakers included Leila Ben Debba, Manager International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Stephen Carrick Davies, CEO Childnet International.Questions raised in the session focused on the major effects of misusing the internet and how to protect young children from the detrimental websites. see Agenda, Net Family News and Childnet International Press Release.

Issue no. 379 - 2 September 2007

• EU - Eurobarometer: Are Europe's children too confident in tackling online risks? (RAPID)
  Can parents trust their 13 year old daughter when she surfs the web? Do they know for sure that their 11 year old son's mobile phone conversation is safe? A Commission survey of children from all over Europe has looked into how they use new media. It shows that the use of internet and mobile phones has become almost self-evident for Europe's young generation. In general, they also know the risks of using the internet and mobile phones. However, when facing trouble online, minors will ask an adult only as a last resort. See Findings from the Eurobarometer on Children's use of online technologies.

• Fighting antisocial behavior on social networking sites (IHT)
  With social networking sites exploding in growth, most young users are well aware of the risks and the seamy side of the territory, from cyber-bullying, identity theft and encounters with adults posing as children to communities that promote anorexia and bulimia eating disorders as lifestyle choices. With backing from the European Union, which is spending €45 million on an Internet safety program through 2008, a collection of national groups are now focusing specifically on the issue of online sexual grooming.

• The Internet's new Dr. Spock? (News.com)
  by Stefanie Olsen. All parents question how technology is affecting their kids. Henry Jenkins, a media scholar at MIT, is working on the answer. As director of the comparative media studies program at MIT, Jenkins is working under a grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to study how digital environments are influencing children and to develop educational curricula based on his group's findings. (Last year, the MacArthur Foundation said it would invest $50 million over the next five years to build a network of researchers and community activists to work on digital education and new media literacy.)

Issue no. 378 - 5 August 2007

• Internet Safety Month, Part 10: Good Parenting Means Everything! (Progress & Freedom Foundation)
  by Adam Thierer. This is the final installment of my 10-part series of essays that have coincided with Internet Safety Month. Many of these essays have focused on the variety of parental controls tools on the market that can help parents better control, or at least monitor, their children's Internet usage or online communications. (See parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.) Other essays focused on the importance of education, building public awareness, and the need for stepped-up law enforcement efforts aimed at prosecuting online predators. (See parts 7, 8, and 9). In this final installment, I want to focus on what I believe is the most important?and most frequently overlooked?part of the parental controls and online safety discussion: Good parenting!

Issue no. 375 - 9 May 2007

• EU - Public consultation - Safer Internet and online technologies for children (Europa)
  The Commission has launched a public consultation to identify the most effective ways of making the online environment and communication technologies safe for users, in particular children. The current Safer Internet plus programme will end in 2008 and the Commission is conducting this consultation for creating a basis for deciding whether to propose a follow-up programme from 2009 to 2013 and how best to address issues relating to online technologies in the future. The deadline for contributions is 07/06/2007.<

Issue no. 374 - 1 April 2007

• UK - Many net users 'not safety-aware' (BBC)
  Fewer than half of the UK's 29m adult internet users believe they are responsible for protecting personal information online, a survey suggests. One in six of the 2,441 people surveyed felt responsibility rested with banks. The research, for a government-backed online safety campaign, found 12% had suffered online fraud in the last year - at an average loss of £875.

• US - Think Before You Post' (Net Family News)
  The US Justice Department, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and Ad Council just launched a new phase of their media campaign to raise public awareness about exploitation of online teens, Government Technology magazine reports. The article cites a news study by Cox Communications showing that 61% of 13-to-17-year-olds have a personal profile on social networking sites; half of them 'have posted pictures of themselves online'; 20% of them say it is 'somewhat safe' or 'very safe' to share personal info on a public blog or profile; and 37% say 'they're not very concerned or not at all concerned about someone using personal information they've posted online in ways they haven't approved.' The 'Think Before You Post' videos can be viewed in the Ad Council site, and here's the National Center's press release.

Issue no. 372 - 25 February 2007

• DE - Sicherheit im Internet: Wettbewerb zwischen Alt und Jung gestartet (Heise)
  Fit und sicher im Internet: Schüler und Erwachsene haben in Köln einen Generationen-Wettbewerb im Web begonnen und damit den bundesweiten Startschuss für eine große Medienkompetenz-Initiative gegeben. Chatten, surfen, mailen – das Internet sei aus dem Alltag von Kindern und Jugendlichen nicht mehr wegzudenken, hieß es dazu. Zugleich seien aber die Risiken und Gefahren nicht ausreichend bekannt. Das betonten die Deutsche UNESCO-Kommission, die Landesmedienanstalt Nordrhein-Westfalen und der Verein Internet-ABC als Veranstalter der Aktion.

• EU - Celebrating Safer Internet Day across the world (eGov monitor)
  Almost 40 countries will participate in the fourth edition of Safer Internet Day (SID) which this year takes place on 6 February. The event is organised by European Schoolnet, coordinator of Insafe, the European safer internet network. Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for the Information Society and Media is once again patron of Safer Internet Day, as in the past two years. see Ireland Worldwide blogathon to promote safe internet use ; United States i-SAFE Celebrates Safer Internet Day 2007, Enlisting Students to Make the Internet Safer (Education World).

• EU - Safer Internet Day 2007 (RAPID)
  100 organisations in over 40 countries worldwide celebrated Safer Internet Day on 6 February 2007. In the EU, across all 27 Member States conferences and campaigns showcase already existing safer internet activities of the private and the public sector, from filtering technologies to media literacy programmes. The purpose is to raise awareness - in particular at schools, among parents and teachers - about the best ways for protecting minors in an online environment of growing importance for our daily lives. Safer Internet Day is organised under the patronage of the Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding.

• LU - Safer Internet Day 2007: exposition consacrée aux dangers d´Internet (Gouvernement luxembourgeois)
  Du 1er au 6 février 2007, CASES (le portail de la sécurité de l'information du ministère de l'Économie et du Commerce extérieur), petitweb.lu et Luxembourg Safer Internet organisent une exposition consacrée aux dangers d´Internet à la Belle Étoile (route d´Arlon à Bertrange).

• Net safety day marked worldwide (BBC)
  Efforts to make the net less risky for children are being marked by the fourth Internet Safety Day on 6 February. Events are being held in 31 nations and a blogathon will record activities held as far apart as Australia and Canada.

• New Web safety institute unveiled (CNet News.com)
  The Internet Content Rating Association, a nonprofit aimed at labeling adult Web sites, have launched a new institute to promote kids safety on the Web. Called the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), it will broaden its work from the ICRA rating system to include the development and support of other kid-safe technologies, educational programs and public policy work. see also Internet safety gets powerful champion (Guardian).

• US - More Efforts At Keeping Kids Safe Online (CBS)
  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is launching a new Web site, www.NetSmartz411.org, to answer parents' questions about Internet safety and computers. The free service features an interactive knowledge-base where parents can use natural language search to find information. If that's not enough, there's an "ask the experts" button that lets parents type in a question which will be answered by e-mail by real-life analysts at the center's headquarters.

Issue no. 371 - 28 January 2007

• DE - Kampagne soll über Gefahren des Internets für Kinder informieren (Heise)
  Mit einer bundesweiten Aufklärungskampagne will die Polizei über die Gefahren des Internets für Kinder informieren. Kern der Initiative "Kinder sicher im Netz" ist ein Online-Angebot, das über problematische Inhalte von Webseiten, Gefahren beim Chatten und sicheres Surfen informiert. Die Kampagne wurde im Auftrag der Innenministerkonferenz von der Polizei in Zusammenarbeit mit der Wirtschaft entwickelt.

• EU - Safer Internet Action Plan - Final evaluation (Europa)
  Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Final evaluation of the implementation of the multiannual Community action plan on promoting safer use of the Internet by combating illegal and harmful content on global networks.

• EU - Safer Internet plus - Implementation report (Europa)
  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Communication on the implementation of the multiannual Community Programme on promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies (Safer Internet plus).

Issue no. 370 - 3 December 2006

• Staying safe online: EU programme leads the way (RAPID)
  An independent evaluation finds that the EU's Safer Internet programme, which promote safer internet use, particularly for children, has been very effective in tackling illegal and harmful internet content, whilst respecting people's freedom of expression. The Commission is taking into account the recommendations of these experts, in its implementation of the "Safer Internet plus" programme in 2007-2008. Meanwhile, the current programme is being used as a model by other regions of the world.

Issue no. 368 - 15 October 2006

• EU Kids Online (EU Kids Online)
  EU Kids Online is a project funded by the EC Safer Internet plus Programme. The EU Kids Online project (2006-2009) will examine research carried out in 18 member states into how children and young people use the internet and new media. This three-year collaboration aims to identify comparable research findings across Europe to evaluate the social, cultural and regulatory influences affecting both risks and children's and parents' responses to them. It will chart available data, note indicate gaps and identify factors that shape the research capability of European research institutions. Finally, it will examine methodological issues relating to cross-cultural analyses and the study of children's online experience in order to develop a best practice guide to research.

• US - Magazine and schools to help MySpace educate parents (Reuters)
  Social-networking site MySpace.com plans to unveil a campaign to educate parents, schools and teenagers about Internet safety as it moves to protect many of its young users. MySpace will announce a partnership with Seventeen magazine, the National School Boards Association and the National Association of Independent Schools to offer parents tips on how to protect minors online.

Issue no. 367 - 23 September 2006

• UK - Pupils reminded of internet safety (BBC)
  Internet savvy schoolchildren are to be reminded about the dangers of revealing personal details online as part of an expanding web safety campaign. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) launched a national campaign, including talks, workshops and a film featuring a boy who was abused by a paedophile whom he met in an online chatroom.

Issue no. 366 - 3 September 2006

• NZ - 2006 NetSafe Symposium - CyberSafety & Security Online (Internet Safety Group)
  The 2006 NetSafe Symposium - Cybersafety & Security Online was held on the 6th and 7th July 2006 in Wellington. The Symposium was modelled on previous NetSafe conferences with a cross-sector focus on the issues of cybersafety and security online. This two-day event brought together leaders from a range of different sectors from New Zealand and the world, to look at child safety, network security (businesses, schools and community agencies), online confidence (secure transactions), and the e-crime challenges for law enforcement and the New Zealand legal system.

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