CHILD PROTECTION ON THE INTERNET
Sun, May 20, 2001
Source:
IMPROVING CHILD PROTECTION ON THE INTERNET: A PARTNERSHIP FOR ACTION
A new
taskforce is to be set up to help make UK cyberspace the safest place in the
world for Internet users, Home Secretary Jack Straw has announced.
The taskforce will include representatives of
the Internet industry, child welfare organisations, the police and Government.
Its establishment was agreed at a meeting of key representatives from these
organisations, called by the Home Secretary as part of the Government response
to the recent report by the Internet Crime Forum on child safety in Internet
chatrooms. Other important groups not at today's meeting such as PC retailers
will also be invited to participate.
Chaired by Home Office Minister
Lord Bassam, the taskforce members will work in partnership to identify and
implement the best ways in which children can be better protected when using the
Internet. Among the areas for action identified at the meeting were:
- Reviewing Internet content rating systems
and developing a "kite marking" scheme for chatrooms which deliver
child-friendly services;
- Developing "safe surfing" education and
awareness campaigns for parents and children;
- Enhancing co-operation between police and
communications service providers in the course of their investigations
- Reviewing existing legislation to ensure
that the law continues to protect children from 'grooming' and other forms of
abuse and keeps in step with changes in technology.
The Home Secretary at a further meeting in
the summer will review progress made by the taskforce.
Following the meeting, Mr Straw
said:
"The Government is committed to tackling
child abuse in any form - paedophiles and child pornographers must not be able
to use new technologies with impunity. Government is playing its part, ensuring
that the police have the powers to detect and pursue offenders, and that the
courts have the powers to deal with them. What is illegal off-line is also
illegal on-line. However if changes in the law prove necessary to prosecute and
deter specific forms of on-line child abuse, the Government will
act.
"But the Internet industry itself
has an important role to play, as its representatives were happy to acknowledge
at this meeting. I welcome the assistance that the industry already provides to
the police in the course of their investigations, and trust today's agreement
will build on this partnership to create a safer and more secure online
environment for our children.
"Social responsibility is part of
good business practice, I look forward to reviewing the efforts of the Internet
industry and other parties at today's meeting in the summer. I am clear that the
public will not tolerate anything but their best efforts to clean up the
Internet for UK users."
Roger Darlington, Chief Executive
of the Internet Watch Foundation said:
"The IWF stands ready to do everything in
its power to rise to the Government's challenge so that, working with a range of
partners, we can create the safest possible Internet environment for all our
children.
"We have already played a major role in the
removal from UK servers of some 28,000 images of child pornography, and are now
seeing whether we can assist Internet Services Providers to identify and remove
those newsgroups which regularly host child pornography."
Representing the Internet
industry, Nicholas Lansman of the Internet Services Providers Association (ISPA)
said:
"The Internet industry takes the issue of
child protection very seriously and is already working with law enforcement to
tackle the problem. We welcome this new initiative and will join with other
members of the taskforce to improve child protection on the
Internet."
Representing the police service, Bob Packham
Deputy Director General of the National Crime Squad said:
"A truly multi-agency approach is needed,
with law enforcement, the Internet industry, Government, statutory and voluntary
agencies and parents all focusing on one common goal - rooting out those who
seek to abuse the Internet for paedophilic activity. Much good law enforcement
work is already taking place, and we aim to build on that in the coming
months."
Representing child welfare organisations,
John Carr of NCH said:
"We welcome today's initiative - this is a
crucial opportunity to move the debate on child protection on the Internet
forward, and turn words into action."
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