Research by Amarach Consulting last year indicated that there could be a half a million adult home Internet users by next Christmas. Concerns for children's online safety are growing as home PCs are to be joined by Net access via games consoles and television sets later this year.
Is there a justifiable fear about childrens' safety? The international section of this newspaper occasionally reports on the break-up of paedophile rings using the Internet to swap child pornography, or on individuals arrested for attempting to solicit meetings with children online. But such events are rare and have yet to involve Irish participants. Research psychologists in University College Cork track the presence of online child pornography and paedophile activity. Their work supports the assumption that the Internet is a major focal point for the distribution of child pornography and information about paedophile behaviour.
They have also concluded that there is evidence of Irish involvement in this Internet activity, albeit probably at a low level. A more justifiable fear revolves around children gaining access to inappropriate material which may not be illegal or considered harmful by adults. Last November the Internet Service Providers' Association of Ireland (ISPAI) funded the establishment of a hotline to which reports of child pornography could be sent. At the same time Eircom Net and Barnardo's jointly published a leaflet on child safety aimed at children and parents alike.
Parents themselves need to be active in managing their childrens' online experience. The Barnardo and Eircom Net guide recommends that parents take three approaches to ensuring child safety:
Agreeing rules such as limiting time online and what to do about getting unwanted messages;
Supervising them by spending time online together and occasionally checking the surfing "history" list on the computer; and
Installing a software screening package or "filtering program". Filtering programs seek to prevent children accessing sites containing potentially harmful content and restrict the amount of personal information that a child may disclose. While the responsibility for child safety is likely to remain primarily with parents for the foreseeable future, attempts are being made to increase the range of protection available. At a European level a content rating system is being developed which could be used to advise parents if a website was, for example, suitable for over-18s only. The EU is also funding a range of initiatives, including research and conferences aimed at bringing key decision makers together.
In Ireland, the Government will soon establish its advisory board to supervise the industry hotline and advise policy makers on developing issues. The industry will also be putting in place structures to deal with the misuse of their services.
Net safety is gradually moving up everyone's agenda. With the Internet soon to be accessible in every classroom, as well as many homes, we must give a higher priority to the development of a safe online environment. A fear of the downside should not prevent parents embracing the wonders the net can offer.
Mark Henry (mark.henry@amarach.com) is a senior research consultant with Amarach Consulting and was a member of the Government's working group on the Illegal and Harmful Use of the Internet.
Amarach Consulting: regular reports on Internet usage in
Ireland - www.amarach.com
Barnardos In Ireland - www.barnardos.ie
Internet Hotline Providers Association - www.inhope.org
ISP Association of Ireland - www.ispai.ie
Internet Watch (British site for reporting illegal material) - www.iwf.org.uk/
Irish Hotline for reporting child pornography - www.hotline.ie/
Parents Guide to the Internet - www.nchafc.org.uk/internet/
Report of Government Working Group on the Illegal and Harmful Use of the Internet - www.irlgov.ie/justice/Publications/publications.htm
SafeKids: US resource for online safety - www.safekids.com/