Pedophile Warning Campaign Launches In U.K
Newsbytes News Network, Dec 3, 2005 by Steve Gold
The British government has launched a 1.5 million British pound ($2.15
million) ad campaign to tell parents about the dangers of Internet
pedophiles.
The campaign will center on national newspaper and magazine advertising
to encourage parents to "Wise up to the Net."
Announcing the campaign this morning, British Home Office Minister
Beverley Hughes said that the campaign aims to improve child safety in
Internet chat rooms. "Pedophiles are dangerous - not Internet chat
rooms," she said.
U.K. Online, the government's Internet and e-government agency, is
fielding telephone calls from the campaign, which encourages parents to
call a toll-free number to receive a advisory booklet. The booklet
encourages parents to educate their kids to use Internet chat rooms
without putting themselves at risk from pedophiles who might "groom"
them for abuse.
The booklet and further details are also available on the campaign's
Web site at http://www.wiseuptothenet.co.uk .
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In a press statement, Hughes said that Internet chat rooms have given
young people a virtual playground, an international school and a place
to meet and make friends.
"Sadly, the Internet, like so many other technological advances, is not
immune from criminal abuse, and can bring its own dangers, not least to
our children," she said.
Plans call for the campaign to be extended in the New Year to include
advertising on radio, in movie theaters and in "youth" magazines.
The focus of the extended campaign is to encourage kids to "Know the
Net" and avoid putting themselves at risk by giving out personal
details or phone numbers online.
Matt Peacock, a spokesperson for AOL U.K., told Newsbytes that the
Internet service provider welcomed the campaign.
"We applaud the government for what they're doing. The booklet is
excellent - it's very clear and has good advise for parents and their
kids about using the Internet," he said.
Peacock added that AOL is planning to produce its own advisory leaflet
on Internet security issues, but this will be separate from the
government's work.
"You can't have too much information for parents about this potential
problem. It's important that parents and their kids are educated," he
said.
While AOL is positive about the booklet, Peacock added that the ISP has
a slight reservation about the nature of the ads themselves, which he
said warns parents about the risk, but doesn't say much about what they
can do.
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