Brussels, 13/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 13 January, the European Commission published the results of a study on the efficiency of parental control programmes, as part of the EU's Safer Internet Programme. This study shows that while a healthy 84% of the software programs tested enable parents to block access to certain websites, they are less efficient at filtering so-called web 2.0 content such as social networking sites or blogs. In addition, only a few products on the market are able to filter web content accessed via mobile phones or game consoles, at a time when one child out of four in Europe goes online in this way. In parallel, an EUKidsOnline survey, also funded by the EU's Safer Internet Programme, found that only a quarter of EU parents use parental control software to monitor, track or filter what their children can do online.
The study published today analysed 26 parental control tools for PCs, three for games consoles and two for mobile phones. The study found that the existing software is good at filtering adult online content, but there is still at least a 20% chance that sites with unsuitable material for children and especially those encouraging youngsters to self harm (sites promoting anorexia, suicide or self-mutilation) could pass through their filters. At the same time, other sites that include content specifically for children are blocked. Only a few tools are able to filter web 2.0 content (such as social networking sites, forums, and blogs), block instant messaging or chat protocols or filter contact lists.
As far as parental controls for smart phones and game consoles are concerned, not all products on the market are able to filter web content although 31% of children in Europe access the internet via their mobile phones and 26% go online via game consoles.
The EUKidsOnline survey also published today shows that roughly a quarter of parents block or filter websites (28%) and/or track the websites visited by the children (24%). However, there is a significant difference between member states, ranging from 54% in the UK to 9% in Romania. In addition to the use of parental controls, 70% of parents surveyed said that they talk to their children about what they do on the internet. 58% of parents claim that they stay nearby their children when they use the internet. Over half of parents also take positive steps such as suggesting how to behave towards others online (56%) and talking about things that might bother the child (52%).
Under the Safer Internet Programme of the EU, the Commission will continue to fund a review of parental control software every 6 months until the end of 2012 and monitor progress. The Commission also supports empowerment of children and their parents through funding of the Safer Internet Centres which will celebrate Safer Internet Day on Tuesday 8th February 2011. The event will involve local and national events throughout Europe and worldwide. The events will be for children, parents and teachers. (I.L./transl.fl)