insafe annual report 2008

Promoting safe and responsible use of online technology

co-funded by the European Union

insafe annual report 2008 Table of contents

1 Internet Safety in Europe ...... 5

1.1 Internet Safety ...... 5

1.2 The European Union’s Safer Internet Programme ...... 6

2 Insafe: an awareness-raising network ...... 7

2.1 The Insafe Network: Who’s who...... 7

2.2 Insafe coordination: European Schoolnet ...... 7

2.3 Insafe in Europe: national nodes ...... 8

2.4 Spreading the message...... 13

2.5 Building knowledge ...... 16

3 How Insafe works ...... 18

4 Insafe: a leading partner in European and global actions...... 19

4.1 Safer Internet Day 2008 ...... 19

4.2 Working with international organisations and business ...... 19

5 Looking to the future...... 22

1 | insafe annual report 2008 insafe annual report 2008 Foreword

J. Richardson, C. Jenkins, S. Aslanidou, K. Hopwood, B. Clouet, M. Gica

Over the past four years, the Insafe network The Insafe network has developed a series has earned itself a leading role in internet of partnerships with leading information and safety actions across Europe and worldwide communication businesses to ensure the use renown as the coordinator of Safer Internet of the most appropriate technology for Day. raising awareness of internet safety. For example, participation in the 2008 Safer The following report describes the current Internet Day was boosted by a new online role and structure of Insafe within the voting platform and an e-safety toolkit was European Commission’s Safer Internet developed for children and parents. To meet Programme and outlines the activities the needs of teachers, this year also saw the conducted and the results achieved by the launch of a dedicated educational website, network over the past 12 months. TeachToday.eu, by a consortium of 14 leading business partners, including mobile As a European-wide network of 26 national operators and social networking providers. awareness-raising centres that promote safe and responsible use of online technology, Beyond business partnerships, the Insafe particularly amongst children and young network also worked with the Council of people, the Insafe network has been closely Europe to update its Internet Literacy following the major evolutions in the online Handbook with the inclusion of new sections world. on web 2.0, social networking and getting assistance online. The developing interactivity of web- delivered content, commonly known as web Training sessions were developed for 2.0, is having profound implications for members of the Insafe network to build internet safety among the technology’s most understanding of cutting-edge technologies avid users. Social networking sites, video and how to spread awareness among new sharing and instant messaging have opened generations of online users. up new opportunities but also new risks for children and young people. And as the European Union enlarges, encompassing greater diversity of online Technological convergence, such as experience and knowledge, so has Insafe. between the internet and mobile phones, also has important implications for e-safety. 2008 saw the establishment of two new Mobile online access away from the home or awareness centres, one in and the school creates new patterns of other in , to broaden and deepen communication and trust among children the European exchange of best practice in and young people. the promotion of internet safety.

Insafe is clear that new approaches to awareness raising and the promotion of The Insafe team online safety are needed to meet these challenges.

3 | insafe annual report 2008 insafe annual report 2008 1 Internet Safety in Europe

1.1 Internet Safety

From simple emails and information searches In answer to these challenges, the European to the interconnectivity of social networking Union has developed a programme to services, peer-to-peer file sharing and online empower parents, teachers and children to gaming, the internet has revolutionised the use internet and mobile technologies way we communicate with each other, learn positively, safely and effectively. The Insafe about the world and organise our lives. network is a key component of that programme. Yet just as the great literacy campaigns of the past were vital in opening the doors to learning, participation and self fulfillment in the age of print, so the development of e- literacy is fundamental to the empowerment of citizens in the 21st century.

E-literacy requires the development of a range of skills and abilities but none more important than an understanding of internet safety. This is especially true for children and young people, who are the technology’s most avid users. A European survey in 2006 found that more than 80% of all EU teenagers (12-17 year-olds) used the internet, with a similar proportion owning a mobile phone1. A more recent qualitative study suggests a further acceleration of this trend2.

The new online interactivity and its convergence with mobile technology offers enormous benefits to young people by allowing them to communicate with teachers, chat with friends or play interactive games, but it also brings new risks. Beyond traditional concerns about exposure to inappropriate Young Danish internauts, picture from the Danish content and the grooming of children by Media Council for Children and Young People adults, cyberbullying and mobile phone- bullying have become the unwanted consequences of increased peer-to-peer communication while excessive use of online games has become a consequence of greater interactivity.

1 Eurobarometer Survey (May 2006) Safer Internet p. 15 and 20 http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/docs/eurobarometer/eurobarometer_2005_25_ms.pdf

2 Eurobarometer on Safer Internet for Children: qualitative study 2007. http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/docs/eurobarometer/qualitative_study_2007/summary _report_en.pdf

5 | insafe annual report 2008 insafe annual report 2008 1.2 European Union Safer Internet Programme

The European Commission’s Safer Internet plus Programme (2005-2008) covers all new online technologies including mobile and broadband content, online games, peer-to- peer file transfer, chat rooms and instant messaging. It aims to protect children by focusing on four key areas:

■ fighting against illegal content through the establishment and support of hotlines that enable the public to report illegal content;

■ tackling unwanted and harmful content by promoting parental control tools and testing the effectiveness of available filters;

■ promoting a safe environment by supporting self-regulation and providing a Safer Internet Forum for national co-regulatory or self-regulatory bodies to exchange experience;

■ awareness raising by supporting information exchange on safer internet use, particularly for personalised, interactive and mobile applications.

See http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/programme/index_en.htm

6 | insafe annual report 2008 2 Insafe: an awareness-raising network

The Insafe network of national awareness- reduces duplication and adds value by raising centres or “nodes” was set up by the encouraging the rich diversity of European European Commission in 2004 and is co- cultures to build on each other’s best funded by the Commission. As part of the practice. It also draws on common European European Commission’s Safer Internet plus values and, by encouraging every EU citizen Programme, the network’s role is to promote to develop a similar set of e-skills, the safe and responsible use of online approach strengthens Europe’s role in the technology, especially amongst children and global knowledge society and ensures young people. optimal mobility for EU citizens within and beyond Europe. In this role, Insafe has taken a joined-up EU- wide approach to e-safety. This approach

2.1 Insafe network: Who’s who

The Insafe awareness-raising network and parents. In many cases, the helpline is consists of a coordinating node and 26 being set up in partnership with a national national awareness nodes in the European organisation already responsible for running Union, and . Associated a helpline for youths. The Insafe coordination nodes operate in Argentina, Australia and the team works with nodes to facilitate the United States. The network also cooperates operation of the helplines, collecting useful with another 30 or so countries in the information that can be spread across the framework of the annual Safer Internet Day. network and, as with other facets of nodes’ tasks, pinpointing good practice and By the end of 2009, most of the nodes in the ensuring its take-up elsewhere in the Insafe network will operate a helpline as network. contact point to provide advice to children

2.2 Insafe coordination: European Schoolnet

The Insafe network’s coordinating node is run on and participating in Safer Internet Day by European Schoolnet (EUN), a unique not- activities as well as participating in surveys to for-profit consortium of 31 ministries of improve the network’s understanding of education in Europe. Apart from providing online safety challenges facing teachers and Insafe with a coordinating structure, EUN also pupils. provides the network with a vital link to the educational sector and a voice at policy level. Insight is EUN’s observatory for new Teacher networks, Insight country reports and technology and education. Insight’s country the new TeachToday portal are just some of reports are of particular importance to the the ways that EUN enriches the Insafe network. Insafe network since they inform policy makers and raise awareness of the internet Teacher networks coordinated by European safety challenges faced by Europe’s Schoolnet across Europe provide an education sector. For example, the April 2008 invaluable means of facilitating national report “E-safety policies and initiatives across nodes' interaction at the national level. These Europe 2007” provided detailed analysis of pools of highly motivated teaching staff the policy responses of 22 European countries support Insafe by disseminating information to emerging e-safety issues in education.

See http://insight.eun.org/ww/en/pub/insight/misc/specialreports/e_safety_policies.htm

7 | insafe annual report 2008 insafe annual report 2008 2.3 Insafe in Europe: national nodes

The national Safer Internet awareness nodes are the core members of the Insafe network. www.saferinternet.be In 2008, new nodes were established in Bulgaria and Romania bringing the total to 26. Saferinternet.be is coordinated by Child Focus (Foundation for Missing These nodes are mandated and co-funded and Sexually Exploited Children). The project by the European Commission to raise safety and website inform parents and teachers awareness at the national level, create about issues such as cyberbullying, e-privacy, synergy between national initiatives and e-commerce, e-gaming and e-gambling proactively contribute to pan-European while special games and a tailor-made activities. website (web4me.be) are aimed at young people. A key feature of national nodes is that they are run by organisations and partnerships from widely diverse professional backgrounds. These range from media regulatory bodies, public education institutions and child and consumer protection organisations to private-sector content providers and telecommunications companies. As a result, the Insafe network benefits from a wide range of educational, social, legal and technological expertise.

The European Commission encourages close co-operation of the awareness nodes with hotlines (contact points where the public can report illegal content) and helplines (where young people can raise concerns about Bulgarian team illegal and harmful content such as grooming BULGARIA and cyberbullying). Therefore in most http://web112.net countries “combined nodes”, composed of an awareness node, a hotline and/or Bulgaria’s combined hotline/ a helpline, have been set up. Although each awareness node was established on component retains its operational 1 September 2008. The Applied Research and independence, each combined node shares Communications Fund (ARC Fund) a single advisory board with national coordinates the node in a consortium stakeholders, agrees common positions on composed of two other non-governmental Safer Internet issues for submission to policy- organisations. It provides information and makers and the media, and takes part in joint organises promotional events, campaigns campaigns like Safer Internet Day. and training sessions for school teachers.

AUSTRIA www.saferinternet.at www.cyberethics.info

The Saferinternet.at awareness cam- CyberEthics is a combined paign is coordinated by the Austrian awareness node and hotline. The Institute for Applied Telecommunications awareness node gives school presentations (OIAT) in a consortium with the Association of and media interviews and organises events Austrian Internet Service Providers (ISPA). to spread its campaign messages across the Saferinternet.at provides information and island. The main promotional tools used are teaching materials about safe and responsi- TV advertisements, the Cyber and Ethics ble internet use, organises events and works characters and the cyberethics website, closely with all relevant parties nationally and updated weekly with national and internationally. international news.

8 | insafe annual report 2008 www.tietoturvakoulu.fi

The Finnish Internet Awareness project (FIA) is a joint action of Save the Children Finland (StCF), The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL), and the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (Ficora). FIA provides effective and targeted awareness raising activities and participates in several networks promoting children’s welfare and safety with regard to Czech team digital media. www.Saferinternet.cz

The Czech Safer Internet Combined Node (CZESICON) includes an awareness node, helpline and hotline. The project promotes safer use of the internet. It provides psychological and social assistance to children and fights against illegal internet content by facilitating the reporting of such content and by working closely with the Czech police.

FRANCE French team www.internetsanscrainte.fr

Internet sans Crainte is the French Safer Internet awareness node and helpline. Tralalère, a company dedicated to the creation of educational programmes, coordinates the consortium partners: the Ministry of Education and Research’s Délégation aux Usages de l’Internet (DUI) and e-Enfance, a leading child online protection NGO. Its main tools are the www.internetsanscrainte.fr website, the “Vinz Danish team et Lou sur Internet” programme and its new “Net Ecoute Famille” helpline number. http://andk.medieraadet.dk As Denmark’s awareness node, the www.klicksafe.de Danish Media Council has launched a national awareness campaign bringing Klicksafe works with national and together and distributing the knowledge and international partners to raise best practice of a range of stakeholders. The internet safety awareness, especially among aim is to create awareness of children’s use children and adolescents. The German of the internet and new technologies as well awareness node maintains an up-to-date as to provide parents and educators with website, provides information materials and knowledge and tools for raising children in has run a successful marketing campaign a networked society. including the Klicksafe TV clips ”Where is Klaus?” and “Where do you live?”

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GREECE Greek team Latvian team www.Saferinternet.gr www.netsafe.lv

The Greek node is coordinated by The main targets of Net-Safe's Extreme Media Solutions in activities are youth and children, with a consortium with the Hellenic Broadcasting a particular focus on organising seminars for Corporation ERT. The consortium’s pupils. More than 50 schools have been SafeNetHomePlus project promotes the positive visited and over 4,000 pupils have use of new interactive technologies while raising participated in interactive workshops. The awareness of potential problems and dangers. Latvian node has organised various contests to involve youth and children as well as ICELAND launching media campaigns to attract the www.heimiliogskoli.is attention of adults.

The Icelandic awareness node is run by Heimili og skoli (Home and School), www.draugiskasinternetas.lt the National Parents’ Association in Iceland. A partner of the Safer Internet Programme since Safer Internet LT is a consortium of October 2004, the node emphasises awareness Lithuania’s Communications work on net-ethics, computer game rating, the Regulatory Authority (coordinator) and the use of mobile phones and personal protection Ministry of Education and Science. The on the internet. project promotes safer use of the internet and new online technologies for young people, parents and educators with www.webwise.ie a special focus on awareness raising among parents. The project also runs a hotline. Webwise in Ireland is the internet safety initiative of the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE). Its core purpose is to focus on raising awareness of online safety issues and fostering good practice among students, their parents and teachers.

ITALY www.easy4.it

The Italian awareness node EASY, run by Adiconsum and Save the Children Italia, is part of EAST (EASY to Stop-It), a combined awareness node and hotline. The project supports the fight against online child abuse images and promotes responsible, positive and inclusive use of the internet and mobile technology by minors. Italian team

10 | insafe annual report 2008 www.saferinternet.pl

The Polish Safer Internet Combined Node comprises the Nobody's Children Foundation and NASK, which runs the Dyżurnet.pl hotline for reporting illegal online content. In 2007, Nobody's Children Foundation, in cooperation with TP Group Foundation, launched Helpline.org.pl, offering e-safety advice and help to children, young people, parents and professionals Luxembourgish team working with children. www.lusi.lu LuSI – Luxembourg Safer Internet – is www.internetsegura.pt the Luxembourg awareness node for internet and mobile-phone safety. The project The Portuguese Safer Internet node is run by a consortium composed of educates and informs citizens on information technology company Telindus, how to protect themselves from online research center CRP Henri Tudor and the dangers through its Internet Segura helpline 12345 Kanner-Jugendtelefon. LuSI campaign. The campaign is aimed at organises workshops in schools, conferences students, teachers, opinion leaders, home for parents and training for teachers. It also users and media. The Linha Alerta hotline stages high profile events such as the LuSI Day enables citizens to report illegal or harmful or the LuSI on Tour operation. content on the internet.

NETHERLANDS ROMANIA www.digibewust.nl www.sigur.info

The aim of the Digibewust (Digital The Romanian programme promotes aware) campaign is to inform Dutch internet safety for children through citizens about all the opportunities the a combined node consisting of a hotline, internet provides whilst ensuring that citizens a helpline and an awareness campaign. The are aware of the possible risks and able to node is coordinated by Save the Children take action in order to stay safe. The Romania, in consortium with the NGO Focus campaign aims to increase understanding Romania and the company Positive Media. and trust in the digital environment. Together they offer extensive expertise in children’s rights, child protection and new NORWAY information technology. www.saftonline.no

The Safe Use project, run by the Norwegian Media Authority, aims to promote safe and positive use of the internet and other digital interactive media among children and youngsters. With the support of six ministries, Norway’s leading NGOs and internet and mobile phone companies, it focuses on primary and secondary schools as well as teachers and parents.

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SPAIN www.protegeles.es

PROTEGELES is a non-profit association that runs a hotline against child pornography as well as producing didactic material, training campaigns and studies to promote e-safety. PROTEGELES has also established helplines on anorexia and bulimia, bullying and new technologies for parents and educators.

SLOVAKIA Slovak team www.zodpovedne.sk

The Slovak awareness node uses the symbol of traffic lights to raise awareness of the level of risk involved in the use the internet, mobiles and other new technologies. The Slovak project consortium consists of the civic association eSlovensko, the Ministry of Interior, the Slovak committee Swedish team for UNICEF and commercial partners Telefónica O2 and SK-NIC. http://medieradet.se

SLOVENIA The Swedish Media Council is www.safe.si a committee under the Ministry of Culture. The Council is the expert organisation The Slovenian awareness Node on children and media in Sweden, and its aim SAFE-SI promotes the protection and is to protect children and minors from education of children and teenagers on the possible harmful effects of media content and use of the internet and new online use. The Council raises awareness of safety technologies through a carefully designed issues and promotes dialogue between awareness-raising campaign. SAFE-SI children and adults. provides information on e-safety, organises events in close cooperation with other organisations and collaborates closely with www.thinkuknow.co.uk the Slovenian hotline SPLETNO OKO. CEOP is dedicated to protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation wherever they are. As a police led, cross sector multi-agency organisation, it has a wealth of experience and expertise in empowering others to protect children both in the online world and from offline consequences. Education and public awareness specialists work together to raise the knowledge, skills and understanding of parents, children, young people and a wide and diverse stakeholder community.

Spanish team

12 | insafe annual report 2008 2.4 Spreading the message

Over the past year, the Insafe network has Luxembourg conducted a survey with the worked tirelessly both to tackle emerging pupils to assess their thoughts on the risks and to spread the internet safety advantages of tackling cyberbullying message. As readers will see in the following through a multidisciplinary approach such as pages, actions across Europe on the major this. The results will be published shortly. The issues have been both innovative and highly methodology used within this pilot project effective, often initially implemented locally was shared with the Insafe network through or nationally then transposed in other the thematic working group on countries through a good practice exchange Cyberbullying mechanism facilitated by the Insafe coordination team. In October 2008, the Bulgarian node launched a unique educational course in 11 CYBERBULLYING schools on “Real and Virtual Violence: Prevention through Discussion and Education In March 2008, the STOP cyberbullying in Schools”, aimed at preventing campaign was launched in Poland. cyberbullying. The course consists of 25 Organised by the Nobody’s Child modular lessons based on interactive games Foundation and the third of its “Child on the and group discussions. The modules focus Web” campaigns, the initiative included TV on recognising different forms of physical and Radio spots and press advertisements. and virtual violence, teaching ways of coping with stress and anger and finally, on skills for preventing real and virtual aggression. The course is co-financed by the Swiss Oak Foundation, and started and will finish with an evaluation survey among participating children. The feedback from school teachers and children has been very positive so far.

“Child on the Web” campaign in Poland

A two minute video with accompanying lesson plans, which also aims at promoting the Helpline, can be downloaded from www.dzieckowsieci.pl.

Luxembourg too, has been highly innovative in this area. The local awareness node LuSI – Luxembourg Safer Internet – has initiated a year-long pilot project with a local high school. It has created an environment aimed at raising the awareness of youngsters, educators and parents about cyberbullying. Resources include awareness-raising materials, conferences and training, an IT acceptable use policy has been embedded Bulgarian resource on cyberbullying in the school charter, and counseling is provided for both victims and perpetrators when incidents occur. The University of Between 2007 and 2008, the Greek node produced 10 TV spots and 4 TV cards on

13 | insafe annual report 2008 insafe annual report 2008 subjects such as cyberbullying, phishing, excessive internet use, privacy and gaming, broadcast by the TV network of the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, member of the Greek node consortium, with 3 national and one satellite TV stations.

CLASSROOM RESOURCES

Aware of the increasing importance of teachers as multipliers of the safety message, many nodes have been focusing on this area. Once again we can site the Polish node which, on Safer Internet Day 2008, launched a new e-learning resource on safe internet use. The three 45-minute lessons target 7-11 year olds. The course uses an e-learning platform which enables “Think before you click”, Austrian classroom teachers to track the progress of their pupils. resource

Slovakia has taken a different approach by Saferinternet.at, the Austrian node, has preparing a fact sheet which will be developed a broad range of cost-free included in school books and distributed to classroom resources for all Austrian schools. pupils across the whole country. This They cover topics such as mobile phone resource tackles a broad range of issues safety, consumer rights on the internet, from cyberbullying to addiction and fraudulent web services, internet safety for cybercrime to pornography. primary school children etc. The latest material focuses on web 2.0 safety issues like In January 2008, the published privacy, copyright and source criticism. In the second edition of its Schoolblik (School addition Saferinternet.at carries out online box). This provides information for teachers and offline further education for teachers, about how they can guide their students on information evenings for parents and offers the internet and how to arrange meetings in support for school projects on a regular order to deliver key messages to parents. basis.

Over the past year Klicksafe, the German SOCIAL NETWORKING Insafe node, has developed a teacher’s handbook entitled “Knowhow for Young The social networking phenomenon is huge Users”. This is part of a qualification package with children and young people today. Most it has created for teachers in Germany which nodes have recognised this as an area to be contains 9 modules and accompanying addressed within their countries. Often teaching units for each. Similarly, parents have little or no understanding about has launched an educational package for what their children are doing or what sort of teachers entitled “Safe Surfing on Virtual information they are giving away on social Waves” – this comprises a handbook and networking profiles. In the Netherlands, a CD ROM containing practical exercises for a short movie was released which focused work in the classroom. on teenagers and their use of these sites. It explores how young people deal with their The Danish node has developed and is privacy online. At a recent event, the node constantly updating the popular “web released new research results about ethics” section of the largest online portal teenagers and privacy issues on social for educators in Denmark. This section networking sites. As a result, the popular currently hosts 9 teaching themes with social networking providers in the student assignments and educator Netherlands have agreed to join forces to guidance for use in internet safety lessons. improve the privacy and protection of teenagers online.

14 | insafe annual report 2008 A survey of young people in Denmark rights and provides advice on dealing with indicated that children in Denmark first and legal and illegal content. foremost use social networking sites to stay in touch with their IRL (in real life) friends. The Irish node has used posters to get A majority of the young people questioned across important messages about posting stated that they’d wish to have a say in the images online. “Upload once, online ongoing public debate on online safety. forever” aims to encourage young people to think about how images posted now GAMING might affect them in the future.

More and more young people, particularly The Czech node localised boys, are gaming, some to excessive two spots in December 2008 extents. The Swedish node’s report “To live in collaboration with the in World of Warcraft” addresses problems, agency DDB Praha. Namely, conflicts and the underlying mechanisms the Polish “Ania” (Nobody’s behind playing MMORPGs (Massively Children Foundation) and Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games). The the German spot “Klaus” report also reveals that the mechanisms (Klicksafe. de), for behind excessive gaming are different to the distribution in cinema ones behind, for instance, gambling. It Czech campaign multiplexes around the provides a real insight into the lives of those “Nobody knows Czech Republic. The spots who “game” and includes some interesting who is behind on targeting youngsters and reflections from the young people the internet” parents were first broadcast themselves. in Ostrava, Olomouc, Hradec Kralove, Pardubice, Pilsen and Ceske Budejovice. The The June INSAFE training meeting had viral campaign “Nobody knows who is a focus on gaming (and also youth panels). behind on the internet” was launched in The nodes considered risks, challenges and January 2008 on Youtube: http:// ways of formulating awareness of online www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlU3mSvGsaU games. There was a clear understanding of the importance of keeping up with the needs WORKING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE and interests of young users. There was also some excellent input from the Gaming In early 2008, the Danish node, in cooperation School which is the first house for electronic with a number of industry partners, launched sports in Denmark. In addition to providing a YouTube/MySpace Safer Internet training in specific games, the school also information campaign targeting youngsters. offers sessions in internet safety as well as The campaign focused on the anti-hero video editing of gaming content for online Hjarnees who does everything wrong on the broadcasting. internet, such as disclosing personal information and pictures of himself and PRIVACY friends. A competition was developed on the theme, with young people having to answer Web 2.0 technologies mean that it is a number of questions about the anti-hero. In increasingly easy for children and young this way, children learnt that on the internet, people to post images and other personal “you are what you upload”. The campaign is information online. However, it is clear that now available as educational material for they often do not give enough consideration teachers to use in their internet safety classes: to the consequences of publishing such www.hjarnees.dk information.

Several nodes have begun to address issues of privacy, with a variety of approaches. The German node, Klicksafe, has produced a brochure which considers issues around “You are what you upload”, campaign of the copyright and legal content creation. This Danish Media Council for Children and Young focuses very much on people knowing their People

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At its third meeting in Nuremberg, Germany, on 14-15 May, the Youth Protection Roundtable (YPRT) exhibited the winning projects in Insafe’s Safer Internet Day 2008 competition and brought together the young winners from Bulgaria, Germany, , , Poland and Slovenia. During the second day of the meeting together with YPRT members and Insafe awareness nodes, the young people discussed online risks they believe are affecting them and their visions of the future internet landscape. In particular, they identified malware, privacy, loss of Greek team receives award in Nuremberg money and reliability of information as their main online concerns and risks.

In July, IYAC (the International Youth Advisory This is no more than a rapid overview of Congress) organised by CEOP, the Insafe some of the key topics the network dealt node in the United Kingdom, took place in with over the past year. For a more London to consider safety and security on the comprehensive view, readers can subscribe internet. This brought together 148 young to the Insafe newsletter or consult past and people from all over the world to debate future issues online at www.saferinternet.org. these important issues. The most immediate outcome is the “Children and Young People’s Global Online Charter” which will be proposed to the United Nations for inclusion in the 2009 resolution on the Rights of the Child.

2.5 Building knowledge INSAFE portal: www.saferinternet.org

A key aim of the Insafe network is to The Insafe portal offers a full range of encourage national nodes to share information and updates on e-safety for experiences and best practice. This enables stakeholders as well as for the general public. nodes to keep pace with technological Available in English, French and German, the developments in Europe and beyond, and site receives around 10,000 visits a month with be prepared when a new phenomenon a peak of 30,000 in , the month of reaches their national territory. Safer Internet Day. It includes a glossary of safety issues, country-specific updates, Insafe’s coordinating node acts as a catalyst a dedicated Safer Internet Day page and an in this process, by facilitating communication RSS feed providing news updates on a daily between nodes as well as organising events basis. The site also contains several special and meetings where internal and external features listed below. specialists can offer their expertise. An online resource library allows e-safety The Insafe network possesses a variety of resources to be made publicly available to resources to facilitate information exchange stakeholders, teachers and parents as well as and knowledge building: awareness nodes. Over the last year nodes and safety organisations uploaded 50 new resources and best practice descriptions, representing a 9% increase in the library archives.

16 | insafe annual report 2008 A virtual tour gives a monthly overview of Copenhagen, Denmark, June 2008 what is going on at a national level with each node communicating its highlights and best The fifth training session took place on 23-24 practice. In 2008, the tour was integrated into June 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The the home page. training meeting was attended by 65 participants from the national nodes and the An Insafe monthly newsletter offers news, coordinating node, along with participants campaign updates and the latest results from from industry and the research field. The two- surveys and focus groups. Although targeted day training focused on two topics: at the broader public, the newsletter is now computer games and youth panels. The also read by most of the major internet safety coordinating team, together with the awareness organisations around the world. network’s knowledge management group, In 2008, the number of newsletter subscrip- drafted and compiled a booklet of training tions increased by almost 20% to more than materials and information on the sessions a thousand. and speakers. A poster template was prepared for nodes to express thoughts and Insafe community platform ideas.

The community platform is a private online tool that enables Insafe members to exchange and store text, photographic and multimedia documents, share best practice and access the expertise of other nodes through membership profiles. In 2008, the platform’s search facility was upgraded to make searching available on item titles and descriptions at all levels.

Training seminars

The Insafe network holds a series of training seminars to build knowledge through the exchange of best practice and the Working together, Copenhagen, June 2008 contributions of outside specialists. Over the past year, the fourth, fifth and sixth sessions of the Insafe plus project were held in Cyprus, Mondorf-les-bains, Luxembourg, Denmark and Luxembourg respectively. September 2008

Limassol, Cyprus, September 2007 The sixth training session and annual meeting of the Insafe plus project took The fourth training meeting took place on 17- place on 22-24 September 2008 in Mondorf- 19 September 2007 in Limassol, Cyprus, and les-Bains, Luxembourg. It was attended by was attended by 57 participants from the 65 participants from the national nodes and national nodes and the coordinating node. the coordinating node, along with Sessions were organised to focus on issues representatives of other Safer Internet plus such as “Getting the best out of our projects and stakeholders from industry. The network”, “Mobile operators and self three days of training, focused on enhancing regulation”, “Achieving maximum media websites, promoting helplines and hotlines impact with minimum budget”, “Engaging to new generations of online users as well Educators” and “Sharing Knowledge and as exchanging resources and best practices. Resources”.

17 | insafe annual report 2008 insafe annual report 2008 3 How Insafe Works

One of the key challenges for Insafe is to Advisory Committee forge a strong common identity where partners clearly see the added value of The advisory committee facilitates the work belonging to a European network. This is of the steering committee by preparing the especially important given the different ground for decision-making and the agenda structures of national awareness nodes and for steering committee meetings. Based on their widely diverse aims, methods and a troika system and comprising six members, national contexts. the aim of the advisory committee is to ensure that every national node contributes in order to reinforce its commitment to and understanding of the network.

Working Groups

Insafe’s six working groups are an essential element of grass-root network coordination and provide concrete opportunities for nodes to contribute their expertise on a variety of issues. Each group has a specific mandate approved by the steering committee for a period of 2 years, and is composed of seven to eight members. Over Working in a network, the Insafe cycle the past year, the working groups have focused on editorial policy, network cooperation, assessment and evaluation, e- Insafe’s steering committee, advisory safety campaigns, knowledge management committee and working groups are the key and management of Insafe’s portal and structures that help create this common community platform. identity. The Editorial Policy group is responsible for Steering Committee determining the themes and format of Insafe’s 10 monthly newsletters per year. The As the guiding force of the network, the group also defines the content of press steering committee comprises one releases for the annual Safer Internet Day representative per national node. It meets campaign as well as overseeing the content quarterly, with frequent interaction online of other Insafe promotional material such as through a variety of electronic tools brochures and reports. including the password-controlled community mentioned earlier, mailing lists, The Network Cooperation group advises on teleconferencing and online messaging. The documents and tutorials created for new steering committee forges the way ahead, Insafe national awareness nodes as well as choosing strategies and taking all decisions overseeing mentorship processes between that could impact on the members of the nodes. network. Its functions and responsibilities are laid out in a Memorandum of The Assessment group evaluates the impact Understanding, updated at a watershed and effectiveness of the Insafe network. In meeting in March 2008 when the network this role, the group has revised the coordinator was appointed permanent assessment tools created during the start up chairperson and an advisory committee period of the network, and added new was set up to prepare steering committee awareness indicators to assist national nodes meetings. in assessing their outreach. The evaluation survey they have created for training meeting participants has proved an effective

18 | insafe annual report 2008 tool for customising training to meet the real The group also develops templates on needs of network members. specific safety issues to understand the approaches and actions adopted by nodes The Safer Internet Day group is responsible in order to facilitate the transfer of best for generating and proposing common practice. actions for this major e-safety event. The group oversees the promotion of common The Portal and Community group works network identity, sponsorship, media tracking with the coordinator to ensure that the Insafe and final campaign reports. portal and community platform as well as the tools and services they provide, are The Knowledge Management group upgraded and maintained. The group also organises the agendas and advises on the revises and analyses feedback from a 6- content of Insafe training sessions and monthly portal and community user survey. suggests experts to conduct workshops.

4 Insafe: a leading partner in European and global actions

4.1 Safer Internet Day 2008

Safer Internet Day takes place each year in online projects to illustrate the theme “Life February to promote safer and more online is what YOU make of it”. The responsible use of online technology and competition resulted in 665 submitted mobile phones across the world, especially projects from 21 countries and the specially amongst children and young people. Under designed online platform developed the patronage of Viviane Reding, the through the support of O2-Telefonica European Union Commissioner for attracted more than 46,000 electronic votes Information Society and Media, Safer to select the winners from amongst national Internet Day has gained a truly global reach finalists. with participation, awareness and media coverage steadily increasing. Six European winners in three age categories (5-10, 11-14, 15-19) received prizes This year, the fifth annual Safer Internet Day sponsored by the cable operator was held on 12 February with a total of 56 UPC/Liberty Global and the mobile countries taking part, 11 more than in 2007. operator Vodafone. These included a trip Highlights included hundreds of national for 3 winning teams to an awards ceremony events, an international youth competition in Nuremburg held in conjunction with supported by an online voting platform, another Safer Internet plus project, Youth international distribution of a video clip and Protection Round Table. a new e-safety toolkit as well as a 24-hour blogathon which travelled the world from In December, a video clip generously New Zealand to Canada in a single day. developed by the Spanish Insafe node was launched in all countries except Portugal, and To maximize impact, activities associated this was broadcast extensively on television with Safer Internet Day began well before and internet until Safer Internet Day. the day itself. The competition for schools and youth organisations was launched in Another Safer Internet Day activity was the October 2007 and ran to January 2008, with release of an e-safety toolkit, which pulls young people invited to create multimedia together the network’s best resources for

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6-12 year-olds. Some 120,000 copies were published for dissemination across Europe. disseminated by nodes in 8 language In all, the Insafe network recorded more than versions sponsored by UPC/Liberty Global. 1,500 media items related to Safer Internet Day Within months the e-safety kit proved such in the press, radio and TV, with actual media a hit that it was translated into several more coverage likely to have been far greater. An languages, with thousands more kits being advanced search on Google returned over 17,600 results for Safer Internet Day. Not surprisingly, visits to the Insafe portal also peaked in February with nearly 30,000 visits.

The Insafe network is aiming to involve an even wider range of countries and attract an even larger number of participants for the 2009 Safer Internet Day.

“Life online is what YOU make of IT” - the spot

4.2 Working with international organisations and business

To increase the visibility, reach and impact of its work, Insafe collaborates with a number of international organisations and businesses. e-safety kit

Insafe is also promoting a Europe wide approach to internet safety by working with such partners. The e-safety kit launched on Safer Internet Day 2008 was developed with the support of the cable operator UPC/Liberty Global Inc. (see above) who Parents working with e-safety kit. Source: has also proved a highly active partner in its UPC Poland promotion and dissemination. The kit contains stories and activities for 6-12 year Internet Literacy Handbook olds and a guidebook for parents. To create this attractive family resource, Insafe’s Junior As expert and observer to the Media and Project Manager Sofia Aslanidou gathered Information Society Division of the Council together the best practice activities and of Europe, Insafe is proactively contributing models from the network’s national to the Council’s multilingual Internet Literacy awareness nodes during summer 2007. She Handbook. This is a set of online and offline then wove these into an amusing story fact sheets for teachers and parents to involving a savvy university student who promote safe and ethical use of the internet. guides a family through the vagaries of It has been translated into 8 languages. online life. The toolkit is proving to be a big hit with teachers, parents and children and Over the last 12 months, the Insafe network has will soon be accompanied by its own helped produce a major update of the multilingual web pages. Handbook including the addition of three new sections on Web 2.0, Social Networking For further information, contact and Getting Assistance Online. Hundreds of [email protected] thousands of copies of the revised Handbook

20 | insafe annual report 2008 will be distributed to all 47 Council of Europe International meetings countries and beyond, helping to forge a European approach as well as to raise the Throughout the year, the Insafe coordination profile of Insafe and highlight its resources. team has represented the network by speaking at almost a dozen pan-European and The Insafe network also contributed through international meetings, hence promoting the European Schoolnet to reviewing how the sharing of expertise at a truly global level. It has Council of Europe’s new online safety game “Through the Wild Web Woods” is being used in schools to promote e-safety. The game was launched on Safer Internet Day 2007 and is designed to help 7-10 year olds understand the internet and use it wisely.

See www.wildwebwoods.org

TeachToday.eu

Just as the e-safety kit is aimed at internet safety awareness among children and Insafe coordinator speaks at a meeting with the parents, so Insafe has also collaborated with French Minister of Education a consortium of 14 leading business partners to meet the needs of teachers. Partners in the contributed to a number of events action include mobile operators, social implemented by the European Network and networking providers and key figures in the Information Security Agency (ENISA) and the technology industry from Microsoft to Council of Europe’s “Group of Specialists on Google and Yahoo. April 2008 saw the launch Human Rights in the Information Society”. Insafe of the website TeachToday.eu, which will be is a proactive participant at the annual Internet followed up by national launches across Governance Forum (IGF), a multi-stakeholder Europe in 2009. The site aims at assisting forum for policy dialogue on internet teachers who find themselves confronted with governance, and a founding member of the new social phenomena linked to web 2.0 dynamic coalition for child online safety. user-generated content. New challenges span Additionally, Insafe is regularly invited to a broad rand of issues from “rate-a-teacher” contribute to World Summit on Information to unauthorised video shots in class and Society process (WSIS) through participation in privacy of content in social networking sites. working group meetings led by UNESCO and the Council of Europe on media and online See www.TeachToday.eu ethics.

Insafe group picture, Luxembourg September 2008

21 | insafe annual report 2008 insafe annual report 2008 5 Looking to the Future

e-Safety will continue to play a progressively In the year to come, Insafe will build on the more important role in the life of all citizens as partnerships it has developed during the past we move towards an even greater take-up of four years as leading player in the awareness- mobile technology and the convergence raising arena. It will continue to play a key role between technologies becomes seamless. at the national level, whilst interacting at the Online technology is already an integral part European level, exchanging experience and of our life, accessible pretty much anytime and good practice to forge a European approach anywhere. Web 2.0 has brought with it an to e-safety and e-literacy. It will assume its role evolution in the types of risks young people on the international scene through presence face, and is hence presenting a growing in specialist groups such as those set up by challenge to awareness raisers to adopt ENISA and the Council of Europe, and through strategies and messages to respond to new active participation in global events such as contexts. Today the most prevalent risk WSIS meetings and the Internet Governance actually comes from peer-to-peer interaction Forum. and user-generation of content, manifesting itself in broadly diverse ways ranging from Insafe is recognised as one of the main actors cyberbullying and loss of privacy to in internet safety worldwide. A major incitement to self-harm and wide-scale achievement is the celebration of Safer infringement of copyright. Internet Day in 56 countries in 2008. In 2009, it will extend this leadership even further setting The Insafe network will meet the challenge the pace to meet one of the biggest with the launch of a new coordination phase challenges of today and tomorrow: ensure entitled Insafe 2.0 and focusing on three key that every young citizen can benefit from the areas: opportunities online technology can offer whilst ensuring that all citizens, young and old, ■ Strengthening links with education to are safe, responsible participants in the virtual empower teachers in their leadership world. role as we progress in the information and knowledge society;

■ Enhancing positive interaction with young people through increased integration of web 2.0 tools but also new strategies such as youth panels and helplines;

■ Exploiting the existing knowledge through successful co-ordination capitalising on the wealth of resources and good practice that national awareness nodes have produced to increase added value at European level.

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A word from the business sector “We all communicate every day – mobile “Liberty Global (LGI), telephony is changing and its affiliate UPC our relationships, the Broadband, are way we live, and the proud to have environment around worked with the us. We believe our Insafe coordination industry makes team for the past two a positive contribution years. For us, the to society and we aim issues surrounding to enrich people's the protection of lives whatever they're doing, wherever they minors online, that is, are. We also know that by transforming the protecting children way people communicate, work and socialise, form exposure to undesired content, our services can raise issues of public concern. preventing cyber-bullying and other hostile We are determined that in every way we behaviour, preventing grooming or other touch people's lives, it is for the better. forms of children’s solicitation by adults, and fighting sexual abuse content, stand out as Working in partnership with the Insafe a key area essential for building ‘digital network, helps raise the profile of responsible confidence’ and promoting and enhancing use amongst young people. With European trust and security online. Schoolnet’s vast network of school partnerships, young people and the NGO As a corporate partner we have supported community, together we are able to reach key Insafe’s Safer Internet Day (SID) 2007 and stakeholders across Europe and support them 2008, including sponsorship of a number of in communicating the responsible use of school competitions, an online safety survey, mobile technology. and contribution to the annual SID blogathon. In addition, during SID 2008, we launched the This includes internet safety, both on the PC ‘Family e-safety kit’ with Insafe. The toolkit and mobile technology, and by working in which targets parents and children between collaboration with Insafe, we aim to cover the ages of 6-12, addresses internet safety the public concerns on the fast changing issues in a fun, educational and non- world of ICT.” threatening manner. To date, the kit has been translated into 10 European languages, with Vikki Leach, over 120,000 copies printed. The kit has also Head of Corporate Responsibility & Policy, been recognised as a good practice Telefonica-O2 example by European Commissioner for Information, Society & Media, Viviane Reding ”Mobile phones enable young people to who stated, ‘I am delighted to see this communicate and be creative in exploring the initiative which provides a tool for young world around them. However, e-safety is people and covers so many European something all young people have to learn countries. I congratulate UPC and Insafe on about if they are to use today’s technologies this example of public-private partnership.’ wisely and responsibly. We feel that partnership with the Insafe network is an important means We congratulate Insafe for its important role in to promote this. We are especially happy to promoting Internet safety and look forward have supported Insafe’s Safer Internet Day to further strengthening our partnership with competition over the past couple of years. By Insafe in the coming years.” offering the travel to several of the lucky prize- winners, in 2007 to Brussels and 2008 to Roy Sharone, Nuremberg, in a small way we are contributing Senior Manager Corporate Responsibility, to making the virtual world and the real world Liberty Global, Inc., parent company meet. Vodafone looks forward to continuing on of European cable companies UPC Broadband the e-safety adventure with the Insafe network and Telenet in years to come.”

Annie Mullins, Vodafone Global Head of Content Standards 24 | insafe annual report 2008 insafe annual report 2008

This is the fourth annual report of the Insafe Finally, Insafe’s annual report will give you network. When the Insafe project was a glimpse into the future - the coming year launched in 2004 to coordinate the European will certainly be the most dynamic phase yet Commission’s Safer Internet awareness- in the life of the network coordination raising network, the network comprised just project. A broad range of initiatives will be 9 national nodes. Today it has grown to implemented to reinforce the network’s 26 members in 26 countries across the continuous commitment to information European Union, as well as in Norway and literacy and e-safety across borders. Iceland.

At the end of 2008 Insafe is entering a third phase, Insafe 2.0, which will be marked by the widespread take-up of web 2.0 tools for more interactive awareness raising.

This fourth Insafe annual report, spanning the period from October 2007 to September 2008, looks into the important developments that have taken place within the network from a national as well as an international perspective.

Through the pages of this report you will learn more about Insafe, its raison d’être, composition and modus operandi, and also its relation with stakeholders within the broader internet safety arena.

Title: Insafe Annual Report 2008 Promoting safe and responsible use of online technology Edited by: Insafe, 61 rue de Trèves, 1040 Brussels, Belgium Project Reference: SIAP 2003 AC01 Insafe Website: www.saferinternet.org Design: Hofistudio Printed in the Czech Republic by Hofi Studio. ISBN: 9789078209850 EAN: 9789078209850