The report analyzes of the evidence of the risks and benefits of new technologies and examines this evidence with reference to child and brain development theory and research to produce a comprehensive evaluation of the work currently being done to protect children when online or playing computer games.
It concludes that while new technologies can bring incredible opportunities to children and young people, a general lack of confidence and awareness amongst parents is leaving children vulnerable to risks. Dr Byron compares unsupervised access to the Internet to opening the front door and letting your child go outside to play, unsupervised and highlights that online dangers can be enhanced by the anonymity and ubiquity of the Internet
The report makes a number of recommendations for improving improve children's on-line safety including:
Creating a new UK Council for Child Internet Safety, reporting to the Prime Minister, and including representation from Government, industry, children's charities and other key stakeholders including children, young people and parents.
Asking industry to take greater responsibility by establishing transparent and independently monitored codes of practice on areas such as user generated content, improving access to parental control software and safe search features and better regulation of online advertising.
Launching a comprehensive public awareness campaign on child internet safety across Government and industry, including an authoritative 'one stop shop' offering information and advice on child internet safety.
Establishing sustainable education and children's service initiatives to enhance the skills of both parents and children in the area of online safety.
Dr Byron also recommends a range of high profile efforts to educate parents about the suitability of video games are right for their children. This includes:
Reforming the classification system for rating video games to use one set of symbols which are the same as those for film.
Lowering the statutory requirement to classify video games to 12+, so that it is the same as film classification and easier for parents to understand.
Providing industry with clear and consistent guidance on how games should be advertised.
Challenging industry to provide sustained and high profile efforts to increase parents understanding of age ratings and improved parental controls.
Most of the proposals in the report would not be difficult to put into practice. Indeed, many of them have already been implemented, eg: parental control software, age rating for games and restrictions on illegal content.
It is interesting to note that many of the solutions proposed by Dr. Byron involve better education - particularly for parents. Byron notes that "One key finding from the review of the literature on the effects of new technologies on children is that the potential risks to children from using the internet are correlated with the potential benefits, for example, where the opportunity to find information is coupled with a risk of stumbling across adult material, or the benefits of being able to communicate and make new friends comes with a risk of potentially harmful contact from strangers or bullying."
This suggests that attempts by education authorities and others to create "walled gardens", where children can experience the benefits of the Internet without being exposed to the risks are misguided, as eliminating the risks can also eliminate many of the benefits.
The proposals also include better promotion of parental control software, both from computer manufacturers and internet service providers. Although the use of such software is already widespread, the report suggests that it would be beneficial to introduce a kitemark system to let parents know what they are buying.
About the Author: