Re: Making the Internet safe for kids

Gov backs kid protection plan

By STAFF REPORTER

WEBSITES could be asked to sign up to a voluntary code of conduct
launched today to protect young people online.

The new UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) will police the
web for children, take down illegal sites encouraging harmful
behaviour and spearhead an awareness campaign.

The council will report directly to the Prime Minister and be tasked
with tackling issues like online bullying and violent video games.

It has been set up in response to a report by Dr Tanya Byron into how
children and families can get the most from new technologies while
protecting children from inappropriate or harmful material.

Gordon Brown today hailed the “path-breaking” organisation.

Mr Brown said the creation of UKCCIS was an “important landmark” in
efforts to keep young people safe when using the internet.

The challenge for society and the Government was to strike a balance
between safety and freedoms, he said.

Support

The Premier was speaking at the launch of UKCCIS at London’s Science
Museum alongside Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Children’s Secretary
Ed Balls.

The council will unite more than 100 industry, charity and public
sector experts.

Mr Brown, who had earlier been speaking to children from London's
Holland Park School as they used the museum’s internet facilities,
said: “This revolution in communications is here to stay.

“Some people call the internet a slanging match without an umpire. The
challenge for us is to make sure young people can use the internet
safely and do so with the minimum of restrictions but the maximum of
opportunities.”

He added: “The internet provides our children with a world of
entertainment, of opportunity and knowledge, a world that is quite
literally at their fingertips, just the click of a mouse away.

“But just as we would not allow them to go out unsupervised in
playgrounds or in youth clubs or in swimming pools, so we must put in
place the measures we need to keep our children safe online.”

Mr Brown said that some people would say the internet could not be
regulated while others would call for Government intervention and
others still said parents had to take responsibility.

He said: “The fact that we are here today - Government, industry,
charities, parents, teachers and law enforcement agencies, united in a
common aim - has, I believe, proved them wrong.

“I believe that the supervision of the internet is the responsibility
of all of us and that the problems it presents are ours and we must
address them together as a society.

“So today is an important landmark in bringing people together,
helping to strike a balance between keeping our children safe and
giving them the freedoms that they need to build their independence.”

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: “We have a very good record in this
country led by very many of the people that actually make sure that we
balance that freedom and those opportunities with protection and
safeguards.

“The new UK Council builds on this by bringing together over one
hundred organisations all committed to keeping children safe online.
By working in partnership we can intensify our efforts to protect
young people.”

Dr Tanya Byron said: “Every parent will know that know that video
games and the internet are a part of childhood like never before.

“This is extremely positive; giving kids the opportunities to learn to
have fun and communicate in ways that previous generations could only
dream of. But it can also present a huge challenge to parents and
other adults involved in the welfare of children.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1745767.ece

****

"Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: “We have a very good record in this
country led by very many of the people that actually make sure that we
balance that freedom and those opportunities with protection and
safeguards."

A Very Good Record

WM
www.critest.com
.

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