Posted: 08th Dec, 2009 By: MarkJ
ZIP IT, BLOCK IT, FLAG IT. That is the message behind today's launch of the first UK internet safety strategy - '
Click Clever Click Safe' , which aims to help children and young people stay safe online. The strategy has been drawn up by the
UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) and supported by a coalition of Government, industry and charities working together.
New research shows that 99% of 8-17 year olds have access to the Internet, with 18% of young people saying they had come across harmful or inappropriate content online. In addition, 33% of children said their parents don’t really know what they do online, though 67% of parents have rules for their children’s internet usage.
The strategy will mean:
* That for the first time ever, internet companies, charities and the Government will be independently reviewed against new UKCCIS standards to keep children and young people safe online.
* Young people and parents will be targeted by a new Digital Code ‘Zip it, Block it, Flag it’ - the ‘Green Cross Code’ for internet safety. This will be adopted by retailers, social networking sites, schools and charities and displayed where appropriate.
* Parents will be able to access a one-stop shop website for internet safety advice hosted by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection centre (CEOP).
* From September 2011 online safety will be a compulsory part of the curriculum from age 5; and
* Professor Tanya Byron will review the Council’s progress, beginning in January 2010.
Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls, said:
“The internet presents tremendous opportunities for young people, but with this come risks. Online safety is an issue of growing importance for parents and families who rightly have concerns about what their children see and do online.
New standards on internet safety mark a watershed in government and industry cooperation. I am pleased some of the biggest names in the industry, including Microsoft, Google, and Bebo are giving it their backing. In addition, our new digital code will provide a handy tool for children and parents to give them the confidence to know how to protect themselves online.
“Today’s launch of the first ever child internet safety strategy is a pivotal moment in implementing the recommendations from Professor Tanya Byron’s review. The range of measures we are introducing will ensure that, with Government and charities, some of the biggest websites continue to play their part in keeping children safe online. I’m delighted that Professor Byron will return in January to review the progress made since 2008.”
It's perhaps a little surprising that it's taken this long for online safety to become a part of the education curriculum; broadband Internet access has after all been around for almost a decade in the UK. Better late than never we suppose.