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Saferborders |
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European Research into Consumer Affairs was a partner in the Safeborders project, co-financed by the European Union's Safer Internet Action Plan. The Safeborders project involved 9 partners in 7 EU countries (Spain, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and UK).
Campaigns to raise awareness of the potential risks for children and teenagers on-line were conducted in these 6 countries between March 2003 and March 2004. The campaigns also aimed to inform parents, teachers, consumers and children themselves about how to minimise the dangers, and at the same time take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Internet.
The SAFER INTERNET awareness campaign believed that the answer to these possible risks included education and prevention:
The SAFER INTERNET awareness campaign also believed that:
a) awareness must be raised in the most positive way in order to promote the use of technology;
b) it is our aim to empower end-users by giving them the necessary information to allow them to take responsible decisions;
c) clear messages, with imaginative communication strategies, are needed in order to promote the direct involvement of the target audiences;
d) partnerships among different sectors and stakeholders, nationally and internationally, is needed.
An important element of the project was to co-operate with industry to improve protection of children on-line. ERICA was responsible for consultation and co-operation with industry at European level and also for advising and co-ordinating activities taken by the Safeborder partners at national level which involved industry. ERICA organised a hearing with the EU Economic and Social Committee entitled " Child Safety on the Internet Identifying Best Practice: How has industry risen to the challenge?" To see the conclusions of this meeting summarised, please click here.
ERICA research for the project
Children's websites
In March 2004 the Safer Internet consortium published research into popular
children's websites across Europe. The aim of the research was to highlight
best practice, focussing in particular on positive examples implemented by some
websites to keep children safe on-line, and at the same time draw attention
to bad practices which could actually be putting children at risk. To see the
results of this research, click here (or
right click on this link to save the report).
ISP review
In March and April 2003, Safeborders undertook a review to find out how some of Europe's most popular Internet Service Providers' (ISPs) protect children on-line. To see this review click here (or right click on this link to safe the report).
Survey of children's Internet use
ERICA's second survey of children's Internet use, published in March 2004, showed that children were still finding "rude, violent, nasty and upsetting" material on the Internet and wanted more than ever to be protected from it. The survey conducted at the end of the summer term 2003 amongst 880 ten to fourteen year olds, with the support of the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Fielder Foundation and the EU Internet Action Plan repeated one from 2001. It found that children are even more routinely alone when they use the net. Three quarters found rude, violent, nasty, upsetting material and/or gambling sites. In this latest survey, many more are visiting or seeing gambling sites. To see this report, please click here.
