| |
Home
News Centre
Popular
Questions
Publications
FoI
Publications Scheme
Research
Consultations
Our
Strategy
Speeches
Statistics
Inside
the Department
Cymraeg/Welsh
Links
Contact Us
Help
User guide
|
|
GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES ACTION PLAN TO IMPLEMENT BYRON RECOMMENDATIONS
24 June 2008A comprehensive plan for how the Government intends to make the internet and video games safer for children and young people was published today by Children’s Minister Kevin Brennan, Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker and Culture Minister Margaret Hodge. The Byron Review Action Plan sets out key milestones and deadlines to deliver all of Dr Tanya Byron’s recommendations as set out in her landmark report “Safer Children in a Digital World”.The Action Plan outlines the Government’s proposals for appointing the Executive Board of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety. The Executive Board will be chaired by Department for Children, Schools and Families and Home Office Ministers and will include representatives from industry, the third sector, law enforcement and the devolved administrations. It will be responsible for driving the Council’s agenda. Kevin Brennan Minister for Children and Families said:
“Internet and video games are an everyday part of many young people’s lives. Enjoying the benefits should come hand in hand with managing risks. “Our commitment to deliver the action plan ahead of time will help to continue the momentum Dr Byron set to empower parents and protect children in tackling the harms associated with Internet and Video Games. “Government working with industry and partners will meet the commitment to deliver Dr Byron’s recommendations by building on the collaborative and consultative approach established by Dr Byron during the review.” Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:
“I am determined to do all I can to help ensure that there is an internet environment that is safe for children to use. “The Home Office has already published the first ever social networking guidance to make sites safer, and we will soon require child sex offenders to notify their e-mail addresses to police so that they can allow this information to 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 online from the harms associated with the internet, and help make sure it is safe for them.”Culture Minister Margaret Hodge said:“The UK video games industry is a real success story and the internet is now part of our lives in a way that we couldn’t have imagined a few years ago. But just because these technologies are fast-moving and exciting doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have appropriate safeguards. “By taking forward Dr Byron’s recommendations we will help children to safely navigate the internet and allow parents to make informed decisions about what is appropriate for their child.”The Action Plan sets out detailed actions and milestones including:
• how the new UK Council for Child Internet Safety will be set up
• the development of a self regulatory approach by industry which will make the internet safer for children
• plans to raise awareness of e-safety issues among children, young people, parents and other adults through a public information and awareness campaign which will begin in summer 2008 as part of a £9m investment by Government in communications to the public about child safety;
• the role of schools and other services for children and families that can help equip and empower children and their parents to stay safe online.
• reforming the classification system for video games, including plans to launch a consultation to consider all necessary evidence around current and future video games classification
• how Government will work with industry to improve information and support to parents on video games Editor's Notes
This press notice relates to 'England'
1. Ministers will write to all members of the Council in July inviting them to nominate representatives for the industry and third sector to sit on the Board. 2. The Byron Review Action Plan can be found at http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/byronreview/actionplan where a full list of actions and milestones are listed. 3. The plan sets out estimated costs of implementing the Reviews recommendations. The full costs of implementing the recommendations will become clearer once UKCCIS has developed the Child Internet Safety Strategy in spring 2009.Contact Details
Public Enquiries 0870 000 2288, info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Press Notice 2008/0128 (Previously known as 2008/0126)
|
|
|
|
