Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage today chaired a major summit on keeping children safe online.
Child welfare charities, policy experts and major internet companies gathered for the keynote seminar, hosted by the Westminster eForum. The panellists were first called upon to discuss the practical implications of the commitment by four leading internet providers to allow parents to block inappropriate online content at the point of sale.
Caroline said:
"The Internet is a powerful and valuable resource that has revolutionised almost every aspect of our lives. It opens up a world to our children that we could only dream of at their age – but there are dangers too. We must ensure that internet providers do all they can to work with parents and teachers to prevent children accessing harmful content, and I welcome this seminar as a crucial step to making that a practical reality".
In the final session, Caroline was joined by a representative from the NSPCC and leading policy analysts to discuss how children can be educated about safety online. Particular attention was given to the risks created by social networking, with Facebook's European Policy Manager facing extensive questioning. Caroline noted:
"Social networks represent an immense new challenge to internet safety, and they must play their role in creating a secure environment for children. It's also our duty to make sure the kids themselves are truly 'internet savvy', and the seminar rightfully highlighted that schools must educate children about the best way to be safe online".
Caroline's involvement in the seminar reflects her ongoing commitment to child safety online. As an inaugural member of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Online Children Protection, she has long campaigned for more action to tackle the threats children face online.
