An alternative to internet filtering ?
Despite massive opposition from the public and internet users, to ISP level internet filtering, the Government is pressing on with its internet filtering trials.
We don’t yet know what the result of these trials will be, but the Europeans have developed an alternate approach to the issue of protecting children from harmful content online.
Yesterday was Safer Internet Day across the European Union. The European Commission has developed the Safe Internet Programme which has a budget of 55 million Euros, and which has been running since 2004. According to its website, the programme is aimed at promoting:
safer use of the Internet and new online technologies, particularly for children, and to fight against illegal content and content unwanted by the end-user, as part of a coherent approach by the European Union
It aims to do this by co-funding projects to :
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Increase public awareness;
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Provide the public with a network of contact points for reporting illegal and harmful content and conduct, in particular on child sexual abuse material, grooming and cyber bullying;
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Foster self-regulatory initiatives in this field and involve children in creating a safer online environment;
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Establish a knowledge base on new trends in the use of online technologies and their consequences for children’s lives.
What makes this programme impressive in our view is that it takes a cooperative and educational approach rather than an imposed approach upon website operators. This year’s theme was protection of children on social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace and You Tube. This cooperative approach has seen 17 of the leading social networking sites across the internet commit doing more to protect younger internet users.
Is this the magic bullet we have been looking for in Australia ?; Well, no it’s not. Does it have deficiencies ?; yes it does, but at least it is a different approach, and may help contribute to the debate on internet filtering and other steps that can be taken to protect children online.
Maybe the Government should look harder at alternatives to internet filtering, they do exist.
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