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How can children be protected online?
A number of social networking websites have been criticised for not adopting a help button for children to report concerns about grooming and bullying. What can sites do to protect children online?
Jim Gamble, from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop), hit out at the sites as one site, Bebo, introduced the button. He said there was "no legitimate reason" why other websites like MySpace and Facebook had not done the same.
The Ceop says its Report button receives 10,000 hits a month. Clicking the button allows users to contact specially trained Ceop officers for advice.
Are you a parent? Do you think the help button is a good idea? How effective do you think it would be? Should the help button be across all social networking sites?
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Published:
Wednesday, 18 November, 2009, 14:14 GMT
14:14 UK
All comments as they come in
Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 12:47 GMT
12:47 UK
It's called parenting !!
Educate your children on how to safely use the internet. As parents, we teach our children not to talk to strangers etc etc so we also need to teach them how to use the internet safely. Don't make it a scary place, because the internet is a fantastic place where children can grow and learn. Sceptical about the help button...what good is it really going to do by pressing it...open for misuse as well. The only way to protect children is through proper parenting. Simple.
Lord Rightwing
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 12:44 GMT
12:44 UK
I know this is a bit wild and would be very unpopular with our government and attendent social worker and solicitor types, but how about (I know, this is a bit radical in the 21st century, & I'm stepping out of line here).... parental oversight.. or even go completely mad and say it's up to us parents to look after our kids and keep an eye on what they are up to? If my child comes to harm on the internet, that's MY fault for not protecting her and keeping an eye on things. Radical eh?
[numenius], England, United Kingdom
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 12:37 GMT
12:37 UK
The only people who get into trouble when it comes to the internet are people who don't understand it, and technology in general. Young kids should be supervised on open networking sites and places that aren't geared specifically for children, and parents of said children should also be PC wise enough to know they can block webpages. Surfing the net requires as much 'street smarts' and common sense as walking around in the dark - understand how to protect yourself and you won't be a victim.
[Kairra_Warrior_Cat], Kerra Isle, United Kingdom
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 12:30 GMT
12:30 UK
Parents have to take an interest, supplying children with computers in their rooms, phones which access internet. A phone is to make calls and txt. Simple why anything else for a child? Parents can turn round and say they do not understand but they have the power to pull the chord after the homework or research has been done! The net will become more open. It is the acess to the net which has to be monitored
[deleshj]
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 12:26 GMT
12:26 UK
How about this idea to protect everyone on the net - everybody, including kids, gets issued a personal ID number (just like a NI number) which has details of who you are and what your age is and pass a law which states that all sites require this number before you can get in. That way we will know exactly who is on. If you dont have a number, you dont get in. You only get a number if you can prove who you are. If you're doing nothing illegal theres no problem. Is there?
Bright idea, Edinburgh
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 12:18 GMT
12:18 UK
I am a member of my Niece's facebook account, I can therefore keep an eye on it without her thinking her parents are looking over her shoulder.
Anything I deem as untoward or inappropriate is reported by a telephone to her parents. It is called being pro-active protecting my Niece whilst allowing her the freedom to have friends on Facebook.
But what really needs to happen is a step change in society which makes it illegal for a child to verbally or physically abuse another child.
Christopher Linthwaite, Beverley, United Kingdom
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 12:15 GMT
12:15 UK
How can children be protected online?
Pull the plug out of the wall, and point them in the direction of healthy pastimes.
Dinosaur junior, Stuck in the permafrost!, Russia
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 12:12 GMT
12:12 UK
Children would be more protected if a single computer was kept in the main family room and the parents kept a close watch over what was being keyed up. It's as simple as that.
[giganticjess], Paris
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 10:45 GMT
10:45 UK
Proper parenting and parents learning how to use a PC - it's not rocket science. Set up different accounts on a PC, and use web filters. Also stop using PC's as glorified nannies. Yes - kids are PC savvy - but parents are adults who should know more. Go online and learn how to protect your kids.
John, Glasgow
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 10:44 GMT
10:44 UK
Very Very simple, The parents should be present and monitor what sites and contacts the children are using when on the net.. This is done automatically by good and loving parents. -- The idle, shiftless, and selfish parents who do not care about their children just use the internet as a means to get away from their parental responsibilities. And then they blame everybody else for their kids accessing wrong material. Bad parent's usual cry is :- "They should do something about the internet".
[dfspace]
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 10:40 GMT
10:40 UK
Dont let them use a computer would be good. How about a good old fashion education where they use books and actually write with a pen. Keep kids off facebook and other social websites. there is plenty that can be done its just that parents dont care until its too late.
Peter Norris, Streetly, United Kingdom
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 10:39 GMT
10:39 UK
lets not fall into the trap of censoring or monitoring the internet all in the name of child protection, this is just a ruse to get us all to think its a good idea to be watched 24/7
binbag the sailor, United Kingdom
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 10:38 GMT
10:38 UK
Unless you make it mandantory to make all users of networking sites to use a web cam in real time you'll never stop it.
Plus does the sentence fit the crime.
Roy Sutton, solihull
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 10:37 GMT
10:37 UK
I think that there should be buttons so you can report users to the site owners.
But young children shouldn't need to have facebook or bebo pages. Parents should be monitoring what their children are doing online, up to a certain age. If they have a facebook account the parents should make sure it is set to private and that they only add people they know in person.
Same goes for MSN instant messenger.
But both these have functions which allow you to block someone from contacting you
Zoe Borwick, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Added:
Thursday, 19 November, 2009, 10:36 GMT
10:36 UK
How about parents taking some responsibility for what their kids are doing, rather than giving them PCs in their bedrooms? My two children share a computer - it is password-protected and in the dining room, so they can't use it without our knowledge and we can see exactly what they're doing.
It's not rocket science.
Alastair Scott
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DEBATE STATUS
Total comments: 476
Published comments: 299
Rejected comments: 17
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