Families at the forefront of making the internet safer

ENGLAND – Some of the biggest names from industry and charities have joined forces with the government, parents and young people to help keep children safe on-line, children’s secretary Ed Balls and home secretary Jacqui Smith announced recently.

The new UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS)­ will unite over 100 organisations from the public and private sector working with government to deliver recommendations from Dr Tanya Byron’s report Safer Children in a Digital World.

Reporting directly to the Prime Minister, the council will help to improve the regulation and education around internet use, tackling problems around on-line bullying, safer search features, and violent video games.

This unprecedented coalition of experts and organisations will ensure that parents and young people have a voice in the development of a Child Internet Safety Strategy, to be delivered early next year.

The strategy will:

• establish a comprehensive public information and awareness and child internet safety campaign across government and industry including a ‘one-stop shop’ on child internet safety;

• provide specific measures to support vulnerable children and young people, such as taking down illegal internet sites that promote harmful behaviour;

• promote responsible advertising to children on-line; and

• establish voluntary codes of practice for user-generated content sites, making such sites commit to take down inappropriate content within a given time.

Speaking at the launch of the UKCCIS, Mr Balls said: “Today’s launch is a significant achievement and I thank all members of the council for their support and commitment.

“We want to help children and young people to make the most of what all digital and interactive technologies can offer. By putting in place the right support for children, young people and parents we can reduce much of the anxiety that exists around the internet."