EU programme will protect young internet users from harm

12.53.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 21st Oct 2008

The European Parliament has approved a new EU programme for protecting children using the internet. This provides €55 million in funding for the 5 year period of 2009-2013 for actions to protect children from harmful content and conduct online, and to curb the distribution of illegal material.

London MEP Sarah Ludford, Liberal Democrat European justice & human rights spokeswoman, is a strong campaigner for coordinated EU action on child rights and child safety, particularly from paedophile sex offenders. She commented:

"75% of children between 12 and 15 use the internet for at least 3 hours each day, and they are increasingly exposed to the risks of illegal content such as abusive and disgusting child pornography as well as harmful behaviour such as harassment and grooming for sexual purposes. Interpol has a database of half a million images of abuse on 20,000 children, of whom only 500 have been identified and saved."

"This is obviously an area, given that the internet is international, where EU coordination is vital. Police should liaise across borders to stop illegal content, counter internet abuse and preying on children, and catch the child pornographers and traffickers."

"But it is important that protection should not become censorship, except of criminally illegal sites. Priority should be given to enabling children and parents to use filters in their own homes, not have the state decide what should be seen. EU funding should be directed at education on safer internet use and initiatives such as labelling child friendly websites.

"In this area as in others such as for missing kids and trafficking victims, EU member states must keep their promise to set up up telephone hotlines to enable the public to report illegal content and pass the reports on to the appropriate body for action."