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 Bulgaria and the school creates new patterns of other in Romania, 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, Iceland and Norway. 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