Better Internet for Children

Policy of the European Commission

Michael BuschEuropean CommissionUnit Inclusion, Skills and YouthDG CONNECT

Safer Internet program

What has been achieved?

The Safer Internet programEU networks Hotlines and awareness-raising

2 Europe-wide networks:

Network of Hotlines to fight illegal contentin 24 European countries (+

Asia, Australia, America)

Awareness Network in 25 European countries and Helplines to inform and empower children and parents

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Safer Internet program EU networksINHOPE Members – a growing global network

Australia ACMA 1999 Austria Stopline 1999 Belgium Child Focus 2001Bulgaria ARC Fund 2006 Canada cybertip.ca 2005 Chinese Taipei ECPAT Taiwan 2005 Cyprus CNTI 2008 Czech Republic Our Child

Foundation 2007Denmark Red Barnet 2002 Finland STC Finland 2002 France AFA 1999 Germany ECO 1999 Germany FSM 1999 Germany jugendschutz.net

1999 Greece SafeNet 2004 Hungary MATISZ 2005 Iceland Barnaheill 2001 Ireland ISPAI 1999 Italy HOT 114 2006

Italy STC Italy 2003 Japan Internet Association Japan 2007 Latvia Secretariat of Special

Assignments Minister for Electronic Government

Affairs 2008 Lithuania Communications Regulatory

Authority of the Republic of Lithuania 2008

Luxembourg LISA Stopline 2008Netherlands Meldpunt 1999 Poland NASK 2006 Portugal FCCN 2007 Russia Friendly RuNET Foundation

2009Russia National Internet-Safety

Node in Russia 2009Slovenia Spletno Oko 2007 South Africa Film Publication Board

2009South Korea KISCOM 2003 Spain Protegeles 2002United Kingdom Internet Watch Foundation 1999 United States of Cybertipline 1999America

Safer Internet program

Action areas• Ensuring public awareness of online risks

and precautions • Education• Talk to stakeholders• Research on trends, risks, behaviours• Support police investigators in the fight

against child sexual abuse images on the internet

• Industry self-regulation

Safer Internet program - Awareness

Safer Internet Day – a success story2005:organisations from 30 countries 2008: organisations from 56 countries 2012: organisations from 99 countries

Talk to stakeholders – Annual Safer Internet Forum

The SI Forum: annual conferences bringing EU and international stakeholders together for discussing current developments

Example - SI Forum 2009:Promoting Internet Safety in Schools. Forum

was preceded by a European Teachers’ Panel.

Next edition: 18-19 October in Brussels. You are invited!

Research

EU studies have set benchmarks in the international research community.

Research examples:EU KidsOnline I and II – what do children do on

the internet: trends, behaviours & risksEU NET ADB: Research on Internet addictive

behaviour risk among minors in Europe POG: Understanding the process of online

grooming - the behaviours of men who target young people online

Support police investigators with technical tools

Technological tools to support police investigations:

Example: I-Dash project (Safer Internet program )

• Tool facilitates analysis of evidence material on seized computers (videos)

• Tool has created a fingerprint technology allowing matching videos across different formats

• NL police is establishing a national CAM database using this technologies

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= Pilot and pre EC Project Countries Connected

= EC Project Countries Accredited & Connected

= EC Project Countries Awaiting Accreditation & Connection

Safer Internet program INTERPOL ICEDB – Example for Technical Projects

Legislative Framework Protect children better in the legal systems

2011: New EU Directive on combating the sexual abuse, sexual exploitation of children and child pornography

Objectives:

• Better harmonization of criminal law rules in the Member States - More detailed provisions on levels of penalties will ensure greater consistency with the severity of the offence and also among Member State laws

• Sanction new behaviours, e.g. grooming

• Combat "child sex tourism"

• Reinforce the protection of child victims

Industry self-regulationMobile phones

European framework for safer mobile use by younger teenagers and children

Signed by 16 leading mobile providers and content providers on 6 February 2007, initiated by the Commission.

96% of all EU mobile customers covered

The Safer Internet program - Self-regulation The EU Safer Social Networking Principles

The Safer Social Networking Principles for the EU = a self-regulatory agreement to ensure the online safety on minors using social networking services, signed by 21 companies (e.g. Facebook, MySpace)

7 Principles covering e.g.:• Age-appropriate services• Mechanisms for reporting inappropriate conduct

or content• Safe approach to personal information and

privacy

Achievements?

Yes,…

…but not enough.

Period 2012 to 2014: A turning point

Developing a strategy which reaches until 2020

Why a strategy now?

• Key factors• Children going online ever younger• New technologies - Multiplicity of connected devices

(smart phones, tablets, games consoles, PCs, TVs etc)• Children are a market for these devices – but weak

commitment of industries to protect them• Digital single market – opportunity to provide new

services and content for children, but poor good content offer in most EU languages

• Growing political interest – but unsufficient political support

• Emerging (and maybe disparate) initiatives, but lack of joined-up approach that recognises children as group with specific needs

Our goals

• Strengthen Member States' Safer Internet policies

• Strengthen opportunities for business; making business responsible• Overcome fragmentation of market arising from

different (co)regulatory approaches eg parental controls, content classification, illegal content

• Improve conditions and market for good digital content for children – leveraging production of content, creating user-confidence and trust

Our goals

• Strengthen opportunities for children• Support digital literacy and competence – 21st

century skills• Encourage creativity – make the Internet a place

to learn and play

• A new EU program 2014 to 2020

Developing the strategy• Acknowledges that children are a group of

internet users with specific needs• Combines and coordinates a series of instruments

(strong emphasis on self-regulation, regulation not ruled out, financial support) for making a better internet for children

• Addresses all stakeholders• Commission• Member States – Benchmarking exercise etc.• Industry - "CEO Coalition"• NGOs – Funding mechanism

Elements of the strategyAnalysis and Benchmarking of national policies

Objectives:• Analysis of all relevant national & regional

policies • Develop indicators to benchmark comparable

data; develop scoreboard• Carry out first-ever benchmarking exercise of

national Safer Internet policies• Regular benchmarks in the future: trend-analyses

of policies

Further elements of the strategy

1- Communication of the Commission "European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children" (COM(2012) 196, 2.5.2012)

2 - Taking it forward – Stakeholders • CEO Coalition

3- Funding• Connecting Europe Facility (2014 to 2020)

Communication "European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children"Actions around 4 pillars

1. High quality content online for children and young people2. Stepping up awareness and empowerment3. Creating a safe environment for children online4. Fighting against child sexual abuse • The Communication defines roles for the

Commission, the Member States, the industries and the NGOs

• The 4 pillars outline the future structure of the EU Safer Internet policies

Communication "European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children"

How could an eco-environment within the internet be created which allows a better place for children?

The elements are: More good content for children – combined with

white-list approach Better protection of privacy – combined with a

reporting tool for children Better parental control tools with age-appropriate

settings combined with white/blacklists and combined with

Age rating and content classification

Pillar 1 - High quality content online for children and young people

• Stimulate the production of creative and educational content for children

• Promote positive online experiences for young children

Pillar 2 – Stepping up awareness and empowerment

• Promote digital and media literacy and teaching online safety in schools

- Strong role of Member States• Scale up awareness activities and youth participation

- From 2014 on EU-wide interoperable services for supporting Safer Internet Centres (new funding program)

• Offer simple and robust reporting tools for users- CEO Coalition

Chief Executive Officers' Coalition to make the internet a better place for kids

• Initiative of Vice-President Neelie Kroes • 31 signatories – European and global companies

active in EU• Joining up the value chain: broadcasters and

media publishers, device manufacturers, software suppliers, SNS, Telecommunications providers and ISPs

• Apple, BSkyB, BT, Dailymotion, Deutsche Telekom, Facebook, France Telecom-Orange, Google, Hyves, KPN, Liberty Global, LG Electronics, Mediaset, Microsoft, Netlog, Nintendo, Nokia, Opera Software, Research in Motion, RTL Group, Samsung, Sulake, Telefonica, TeliaSonera, Telenor Group, Tuenti, Vivendi, Vodafone

CEO Coalition

• Stock-taking mid-term review in July 2012; definition of actions and commitments on industry side expected for Dec 2012

• Industry-led, but commitment to participative approach with 3rd parties and to independent review and monitoring

Pillar 2 – Stepping up awareness and empowerment

Communication "European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children"Offer simple and robust reporting

tools Task of CEO Coalition• Objective: simple reporting mechanism for

children, available EU-wide across online services and devices

Pillar 3 – Creating a safe (protected) environment for children online

Communication "European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children"• Provide age-appropriate privacy settings• Provide a wider availability and use of parental

controls• Provide a wider use of age rating and content

classification• (And others)These subjects are being discussed in the CEO Coalition.

Pillar 4 – Fighting against child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation

Communication "European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children"Objectives:• A faster and systematic identification of child sexual

abuse material disseminated online, notification and takedown of this material

• Reinforcing international cooperation in the field

Subject of CEO Coalition. 3 innovative pilot projects are planned to be carried out in 3 Member States aiming at detecting and removing child sexual abuse material faster.

Elements of the EU strategy beyond 2014The Connecting Europe Facility

Vision for 2020• Integrated, interoperable services at European

level to:• - Share awareness material, knowledge and good

practices• - Encourage youth participation • - Provide quality content for children • - Deploy tools to protect children • - Report and investigate tools for child abuse

content online

Thank you for your kind attention