The UK government has today published plans to make video games and the
internet safer for children.
The
Byron
Review Action Plan (PDF) sets out key milestones and deadlines to deliver
the recommendations of Dr Tanya Byron's report
Safer
Children in a Digital World (PDF).
The Action Plan outlines government proposals for appointing an executive
board of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety.
The board will be chaired by ministers from the Department for Children,
Schools and Families and the Home Office.
It will include representatives from industry, non-governmental
organisations, law enforcement agencies and the devolved administrations, and
will be responsible for driving the Council's agenda.
"I am determined to do all I can to help ensure that there is an internet
environment that is safe for children to use," said Home Office Minister Vernon
Coaker.
"The Home Office has already published social networking guidance to make
sites safer, and we will soon require child sex offenders to notify their email
addresses to police so that this information can be passed on to social
networking websites.
"By working in partnership with law enforcement agencies and charities we can
drive forward our efforts to protect children from the harms associated with the
internet, and help make sure it is safe for them."
The Action Plan includes details on how the new UK Council for Child Internet
Safety will be set up, along with plans for the development of a self-regulatory
approach by industry.
It will also discuss the role of schools and other children's and families'
services, the reformation of the classification system for video games and
e-safety issues among children, parents and other adults.
A public information and awareness campaign will begin in summer 2008.
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