SI-2009-SIC-123929 >
Safer Internet IE SIC (SII2)
<Safer Internet Ireland 2 Annual Report>
Deliverable number / D.1.4.1Dissemination level / Public
Delivery date / March, 2011
Status / Final
Author(s) / John Laffan, Simon Grehan, Paul Durrant, Margie Roe & Deirdre Sullivan
Safer Internet plus
This project is funded under the Safer Internet plus programme[1],
a multiannual Community Programme on promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies.
Safer Internet Ireland Project
(Safer Internet IE SIC)
1 March, 2010 – 28 February, 2011
co-funded by the European Union
Table of Contents
Safer Internet Programme 5
Safer Internet Action Plan 5
Safer Internet Programme 2009-2013 5
What is the Safer Internet Ireland (Safer Internet IE SIC) Project? 6
Who are the partners involved and what do they do? 6
Office for Internet Safety 6
What do they do in the Safer Internet Ireland Project ? 7
National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) and National Parents Council Primary (NPC) 7
What do they do in the Safer Internet Ireland Project? 7
Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) 7
What do they do in the Safer Internet Ireland Project? 8
Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland (ISPAI) 8
What do they do in the Safer Internet Ireland Project? 8
Safer Internet Ireland 2 (SII2) The Story so far.. 1 March, 2010 – 28 February, 2011 9
National Cooperation 9
Contribution to the EU Network 10
Awareness Raising 12
Safer Internet Day Event 12
Kids Online: An Irish Times Special Report 12
Safer Internet Day Talks in Schools 13
Family E-Safety Pack 14
Safer Internet Day Nationwide Parenting Events 14
Webwise on Facebook 15
Report on Internet Safety Training from National Parents Council Primary 15
Summary of Training from 1st March 2010 – end of February 2011 16
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) 16
Safer Internet Ireland Youth Advisory Panel (SIIYAP) 17
Webwise Parenting Workshops 17
ThinkB4UClick 18
Primary Principal Seminars 18
Helplines 18
ISPCC Childline 18
NPC Parent Helpline 19
Background to NPC Helpline 19
The aims of the Anti – Bullying Helpline are to: 19
Through this Project parents are : 19
NPC Publications: 19
Conclusion: 20
Hotline 20
Safer Internet Ireland 2 (SII2) The next twelve months .. 1 March, 2011 – 28 February, 2012 21
Awareness Raising 21
Upcoming events: 21
1. We will publish an educational resource in primary schools 21
2. We will begin to roll out a talks in primary schools initiative with the Gardaí (Police) 22
Helplines 22
ISPCC Childline 22
NPC Parent Helpline 23
Hotline 23
Further Information 24
Safer Internet Programme
Combating illegal, harmful and predatory use of the Internet requires responses at national, EU and international levels. Ireland is fully committed to playing its part, at home and internationally, to both detect and prevent child pornography. Ireland's Child Trafficking and Pornography Act (1998) is acknowledged as one of the most robust pieces of legislation anywhere.
Safer Internet Action Plan
The European Union has taken a strong line on combating child pornography and other illegal and harmful uses of the internet. Since 1999, under the Safer Internet Action Plan, the EU has provided financial and other supports for measures in the member states to combat illegal and harmful uses of the internet, with particular emphasis on protecting children.
The Council of the European Union undertook its first initiative against illegal content on the Internet in July 1996, by adopting the action plan for combating racism and xenophobia. In 1997 the EU Telecoms Council adopted the resolution on illegal and harmful content on the Internet. In January 1999 the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted the Action Plan on promoting safe use of the Internet by combating illegal and harmful content on global networks. By force of this document the European Commission launched the first programme under Safer Internet Action Plan (SIAP) – to promote safe use of the Internet and other new technologies, including the new generation of mobile phones, online games, chatrooms, and instant messaging software.
Safer Internet Programme 2009-2013
The objective of the Safer Internet Programme 2009-2013 is to promote safer use of the Internet and other communications technologies, particularly for children, and to fight against illegal content and harmful conduct online. This programme, covering the period 2009 to 2013 follows on from the activities of the previous Safer Internet Action Plan and successive Safer Internet programmes, including the existing Safer Internet Plus Programme.
The Safer Internet programmes have constituted the only pan-European initiative addressing issues relating to child protection in the online environment and comprise several actions that have proved their effectiveness. They have achieved the following:
· A European network of hotlines – reporting points where members of the public can report illegal content;
· A European awareness-raising network and “Safer Internet Day” co-ordinated by the network. Each year, an increasing number of countries have taken part in this in Europe and around the world;
· Information for parents through independent testing of the effectiveness of filtering software;
· Support for industry self-regulatory initiatives in the area of content rating and mobile phones.
What is the Safer Internet Ireland (Safer Internet IE SIC) Project?
The Safer Internet Ireland project is a consortium of industry, education, child welfare and government partners that acts as a Safer Internet Centre to provide Safer Internet awareness, hotline and helpline functions and activities for the Republic of Ireland. The project, funded by the European Union under its Safer Internet Programme administered by the European Commission, runs from 1st March 2010 to 28th February, 2012. The project is coordinated by the Office for Internet Safety (OIS), an executive office of the Department of Justice and Equality (previously the Department of Justice and Law Reform). The main aim of the project is to develop national initiatives promoting the safer use of electronic media and enhance protection of the vulnerable, particularly children, against the downside of the Internet. The consortium aims to build on the experience gained from the previous highly successful but independently run Safer Internet projects. As coordinator of the project, the OIS will aim to raise the profile of the activities throughout the State and ensure maximization of impact.
In summary the project aims to:
o Create high profile, tightly coordinated, national safer internet actions that are sustainable in to the future as technologies and uses of new media develop.
o Develop materials and programmes of awareness to ensure that children, teachers and parents understand the benefits and risks of the Internet. These will also advise on the necessity and means to report should illegal or harmful content be encountered.
o Make available on a 24/7 basis a professionally run counselling service where children affected by issues encountered on the Internet may turn for advice and guidance.
o Operate and make available a parent helpline where parents concerned about issues encountered by their children on the internet may get professional advice especially in relation to cyberbullying.
o Operate an Internet hotline service to the highest professional standards, that is trusted by the public to allow anonymous confidential reporting of suspected illegal content or activities encountered on the Internet.
Who are the partners involved and what do they do?
Office for Internet Safety
The Office for Internet Safety (OIS) was established in March 2008 as an Executive Office of the then Department of Justice, Equality & Law Reform.
The OIS has primary responsibility for the development and promotion of strategic actions to promote the highest possible levels of internet safety, particularly in relation to combating child pornography. The Office for Internet Safety plays a key role in ensuring a cohesive approach is being taken across Government Departments, State Agencies and other key stakeholders in addressing illegal content on the internet.
What do they do in the Safer Internet Ireland Project ?
The OIS acts as coordinator of the Safer Internet Ireland Project. It has responsibility for the financial & administrative coordination of the project. The OIS acts as intermediary between the beneficiaries (NCTE, NPC, ISPAI and ISPCC) and the European Commission which provides funding for the Project under the EU’s Safer Internet programme.
National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) and National Parents Council Primary (NPC)
The NPC is the nation-wide organisation representing parents of children attending early and primary education.
What do they do in the Safer Internet Ireland Project?
The NCTE and NPC play a key role in Awareness Raising while the NPC also operates a Parent Helpline. The aim of their activities is to educate and promote dialogue between children, teachers and parents on safe and appropriate use of the internet and new media, to ensure that they are aware of the benefits of the Internet as well as its risks, to keep people informed of technological developments assisting safer internet use and promoting reporting of inappropriate content or activities. Webwise is the Irish Internet Safety Awareness project, managed by the NCTE. Webwise provides parents, teachers, and children with educational resources, advice and information about potential dangers on the Internet and empowers users to minimise or avoid these risks. Webwise shares best practice, information and resources with European partners through the European Commission’s InSafe network. The NPC (Primary) assists the NCTE in the achievement of these aims by coordinating the provision of internet safety education to parents.
The NPC also operates a parent helpline. This is a national confidential helpline for parents where parents can find information and support if their children encounter issues on the internet in particular cyberbullying.
Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC)
The ISPCC is one of Ireland’s oldest and most well-known children’s charities. The mission of the ISPCC is to advocate on behalf of all children in Ireland, and to provide a range of independent and unique services which are preventative and empowering in nature.
What do they do in the Safer Internet Ireland Project?
The ISPCC operate Childline, which is a National helpline providing telephone text and Online support to children. Childline is a free confidential listening service for children that is available 24 hours a day 365 days of the year.
Children can contact Childline to raise concerns about illegal and harmful content related to their use of online technologies. It offers a one-to-one conversation with trained facilitators and assists children to deal with any negative effects of encountering illegal or harmful content on the internet.
· Children can access support through Childline’s telephone service 24 hours a day.
· By utilising www.childline.ie a child can avail of 24 hour support and information through the provision of the most up to date, age appropriate information that is available on the site, including an internet safety section.
· By utilising www.childline.ie a child can access support by posting a query, via a Childline moderator, onto a message board. In response a message is posted by a call facilitator within a maximum 3 day turn around period.
· A young person can seek further support through Childline’s One 2 One live chat service as well as through it’s live Teentxt service which are both now available from 2pm – 10pm Tuesday to Sunday and 6pm -10pm on Monday.
Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland (ISPAI)
The ISPAI, established in January 1998 represents both indigenous and multinational ISPs operating in the Irish market. ISPAI members include both Internet access and hosting providers.
The aim of the association is to provide one voice for the Irish ISP industry at national, EU and International level. The Association is represented at many government initiatives and provides a public point of contact for the media.
What do they do in the Safer Internet Ireland Project?
Safer Internet Ireland 2 (SII2) The Story so far.. 1 March, 2010 – 28 February, 2011
These are just some of the highlights of the work being carried out by the Consortium Partners over the first twelve months of the Project.
National Cooperation
The Office for Internet Safety (OIS) is an Executive Office within the Department of Justice and Equality. OIS has executive responsibility for internet safety, especially regarding combating child pornography. This includes supervision of the internet hotline, public awareness campaigns and oversight of implementation of the Internet Service Providers’ self-regulatory framework and industry code of practice. Following the establishment of the OIS in March 2008 it was announced that the OIS would be advised by an Internet Safety Advisory Council, to be drawn from representatives of the key stakeholders.
The role of the Internet Safety Advisory Council is to assist and support the work of the Office for Internet Safety and act as an advisory group to the Office on all aspects of internet safety, particularly as they relate to children. The ISAC advises the OIS on monitoring and evaluating the existing self-regulatory framework, commissioning of research, promotion of awareness raising and will also advise on the assessment of current domestic and international approaches to addressing illegal content and harmful use of the internet.
The membership of the ISAC is drawn from representatives of the key stakeholders in the statutory, industry and community sectors. As required, the ISAC has established issue-focussed sub-groups to consider specific issues that may arise. The SII consortium are members of the ISAC and actively participate in the work of the ISAC and sub-groups. Three meetings of the Internet Safety Advisory Council were held over the period February 2010 to March 2011.
Hotline.ie provides monthly updates to OIS and presents on Hotline activities at every ISAC (Advisory Council) meeting. The NCTE provides updates on awareness activities including Safer Internet Day activities. The ISPCC and NPC provide updates on the work of the children and parent helplines.
In addition to their work on the ISAC the SII consortium also provide advice and guidance to other national, regional and local organisations. Some events that the consortium members have participated in are as follows: