Brussels, 10/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - Internet safety must keep up with technological progress and the intensive use of the web by children, says the culture committee at the European Parliament in a draft resolution put forward by de Silvia Costa (S&D, Italy) and adopted on 9 October. The resolution was passed by 20 votes to 3, with 5 abstentions. MEPs call for improved controls for mobile phones, filtering software, better coordination of hotlines and better education in the digital world for parents and teachers.
Children who go online at school or from their mobile phones or tablets are increasingly exposed to violent or pornographic content, paedophiles and the risk of bullying. The parliamentary committee stresses that action must be coordinated at European level and member states, public institutions and internet service providers must collaborate in order to provide better protection for minors using the internet. This should involve institutions and operators improving their coordination at European level of hotlines and other contact points (for example for missing or abused children) for reporting illegal content or harmful behaviour and to develop cooperation between the police and juvenile justice systems, public institutions and internet operators. The resolution argues that children must have the right to education in the media as an essential educational tool. The teaching of digital skills should be given priority in national education policies and be included in the curriculum, and must raise children's awareness of online risks. To ensure the dissemination of safe practices in using social networks, mobile telephones or video games, MEPs recommend programmes such as “European Schoolnet” or the Commission's “Safer Internet” programmes, which help to increase awareness amongst young people, their parents and teachers. The resolution is scheduled for a plenary vote on 19 November. (IL/trans.fl)