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REMARKS OF COMMISSIONER DEBORAH TAYLOR TATE
AT ITU COUNCIL, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
BE SAFE ONLINE: A CALL TO ACTION
13 November 2008
Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, and honored 
guests, thank you for inviting me to be here.  It is an honor and a privilege to appear 
before High Level Segment of the 2008 Session of ITU Council.  This session, the first 
international-level convocation of its kind to focus on an issue of critical importance to 
all of us, would never have occurred without the vision and leadership of a world 
leader  but, more importantly, a father of four, and grandfather of two-- Secretary-
General Dr. Hamadoun Tour.  Dr. Tour has provided leadership and advanced online 
safety as an international issue.  On October 7, Dr. Tour launched the Child Online 
Protection Initiative, recognizing that, in his words, the online world respects neither 
boundaries nor borders.  
Hand in hand with our collective desire and our individual national focus on the 
deployment of broadband, comes the realization that we must recognize both the vast 
opportunities the internet offersfrom economic to e-learning to e-healthand just as 
important are the risks and very real dangers which this viral and sometimes toxic 
connection allows.  Its been nearly twenty years since Tim Berners-Lee invented the 
World Wide Web in 1989.  This year, at the beginning of 2008, there were 1.3 billion 
Internet users worldwidemore than three times the total number of people who live 
in the United States.  Brazil has 6.8 million broadband connections; Mexico has 5 
million; Viet Nam has 1.3 million; China has 66.4 million; Canada has 9.2 million, and 
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here in Switzerland there are 2.5 million.  Even small, developing nations are making 
progress.  I was recently in Ghana, participating in the West Africa Roadmap to 
Opportunities Conference, which focused on market development and specifically 
cross-border cooperation in wireless technology; Ghana is up to over 14,000 broadband 
connections.  
I am not here today representing the entire U.S. government.  Rather I am here as 
one federal official who cares deeply about our children.  The U.S. government 
consists of hundreds of offices, agencies, and departments-- from law enforcement, 
which I will discuss later, to the legislature, to the various administrative agencies, in 
addition to the Federal Communications Commission.  Issues of cybersecurity touch 
every facet of our government.  I have worked as an official at both the state and 
federal level, and throughout my professional career, my focus has always been on 
finding ways to improve the lives of childrenboth in America and around the world.  
Whether through encouraging childhood immunizations, fighting to end childhood 
obesity, or promoting more positive content in the media, I believe that the next 
generation is depending on us to prepare a safe and steady path for them to travel into 
adulthood.
My goal today is not to speak, but to listen.  I want to hear what your nations are 
doing to protect children from dangers onlineand what industry initiatives have seen 
success.  I believe that together we can develop real-world solutions, forge new 
partnerships, engage relevant industry leaders, and truly find new ways to provide our 
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children with all of the resources the Internet has to offer, in an environment that 
protects their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
I. Scope of the Problem
When we speak about the digital divide, we recognize that there is a 
considerable difference in the way our generation perceives the internet, and the way 
our children do.  Like many parents, I never really thought past the benefits the Internet 
offers  from research for homework, to the wonders of telemedicine, to distance 
learning opportunities, to creating and producing your own content online.  However, 
we must also realize that this technological explosion of access also presents challenges 
and very real dangers.
I often remind parents that the internet is no longer just an infrequently-accessed 
research tool, but a ubiquitous aspect of our childrens daily lives.  They live in a 
digital world.  As the ITUs website states: in industrialized nations, up to 60% of 
children and teenagers use online chatrooms regularly and evidence suggests that as 
many of three-quarters of these may be willing to share personal information in 
exchange for online goods and services.  An entirely new language has developed out 
of this explosion of technologywe IM, blog, friend people on Facebook, and 
use twitter to stay in touch with acquaintances.  Children participate in chatrooms, 
post and read messages in social networking sites, and join in online activities such as 
games.
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For those of you representing nations that have little research on the scope of 
internet usage, let me share a few statistics from the U.S.:  A 2007 study showed that 
28% of online teens have created their own blog.  Twenty-seven maintain their own 
webpage.  Thirty-nine percent share their own artwork, photos, stories or videos online.  
Forty-one percent of teens who use MySpace, Facebook, or other social networking 
sites send messages to their friends everyday through these sites  double their e-
mails.  Todays U.S. college students grew up with the internet-- 20% began using the 
internet between the ages of 5 and 8.  Seventy-three percent of students say they use the 
internet more than the library.  
With the explosion of educational resources available online, one might think 
parents would be 100% pleased with the internets role in their childrens lives.  But 
surveys show just the opposite: a late 2006 survey that showed 59% of parents think 
the internet has been a totally positive influence in their childrens lives--- down from 
67% in 2004.  You might find it alarming that one of the top reasons for college drop-
outs in the U.S. is online gaming addictionsuch as World of Warcraftwhich is 
played by 11 million individuals worldwide. 
Even more concerning, the threat is no longer contained to the family computer.  
It is in the palm of your childs hand.  Given the fact that approximately 60% of 
American teens have a cell phone, and that cell phones are being marketed to children 
as young as six, I have, and will continue to, challenge U.S. telecom carriers to adopt 
initiatives to provide curriculum and education regarding safe use of their products
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including internet safety, and the prevention of access to inappropriate websites by 
children.
II. Dangers and Law Enforcement 
A. Predators
One of the major networks in the U.S. recently produced a series of shows called 
To Catch a Predator.  I was shocked by not only the number of predators stalking 
children online-- every second of the daybut also their frightening persistence.  In the 
U.S., the statistics range from 1 in 7 to 1 in 25 children who have been solicited online.  
Four percent of American children have been aggressively solicitedmeaning the 
predator has contacted them on the phone or asked to meet them in person.  
B. Pornography
The Internet has also exponentially increased the presence of, and market for, 
child pornography.  Child pornography, most of which is now distributed via the 
internet, is a multi-billion dollar per year industry worldwide.  There are more than 4 
million pornographic websites or 12% of all websites. According to data from the 
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), located in Washington, 
D.C., 19% of identified offenders had images of children younger than 3; 39% had 
images of children younger than 6; and 82% had images of children younger than 12.1
Our law enforcement agencies around the globe are working to combat this crisis.  
  
1 http://www.icmec.org/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_X1&PageId=1742
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In the U.S., an entire section of our Department of Justice is dedicated to Child 
Exploitation and Obscenity.  The FBI has developed the Innocent Images National 
Initiative which provides a centralized point of communication and information for 
local, national, and international governments and law enforcement bodies.  
Last month, Spanish authorities announced the arrest of 121 Spanish citizens in 
the largest child pornography bust in that nations history.  The ring was distributing 
online child porn in 75 nations.  Japanese police have taken action in 300 cases of child 
pornography in 2008 alone.  In Australia, the Australian Federal Police Online Child 
Sex Exploitation Team (OCSET) investigates national and international cases of child 
exploitation.  ISPs in Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, and Sweden already block 
known child pornography sites. And recently in New York, the Attorney General has 
developed a Code of Conduct for ISPs designed to stop the flow of child pornography.  
Every major ISP in the U.S. has signed it.  
The Council of Europe's Convention on Cybercrime2, which requires all 
signatories to make production and distribution of online child pornography a criminal 
offense, has been signed by 43 states and ratified by 16.  I urge other nations to join 
this Convention, making our international laws more uniform and hopefully deterring 
predators around the world.
The U.S., like many other nations, is continuing to update and revise its child 
protection laws.  Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a law that prohibits 
  
2 Council of Europe: Convention on Cybercrime, 41 I.L.M. 282 (March 2002).
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the intentional solicitation or offering for sale of child pornographywhether the 
images are of real or simulated children.3  
Likewise, other nations laws include:
In India, it is a crime punishable by up to 5 years in jail to electronically transmit 
any material which appeals to the prurient interest.4
In France, assisting in the corruption of a minor is punishable by 5 years' 
imprisonment and a fine of 75,000. The penalty is increased to seven years' 
imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 where the minor is under fifteen years of age.5
Earlier this year Google signed a deal with Brazils top social networking site 
Orkut, through which the company will facilitate evidence gathering when there is a 
suspected case of child exploitation.
The proliferation of child pornography is real and without appropriate 
government, industry, and community oversight it will likely continue to grow.   
C. Cyberbullying
Another threat arising from inappropriate internet use is now a recognized 
behavioral disorder known as cyberbullying.  You may have read the tragic story of a 
U.S. teenager who took her own life earlier this year after being taunted (by a parent!) 
online.  I-safe reports that 42% of children have been bullied online, and 1 in 4 has had 
it happen more than once.  Psychologists posit that the physical distance between the 
  
3 U.S. v. Williams, 553 U.S. ___ (2008).
4 India Information Technology Act of 2000
5 France Penal Code, Article 227-22
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abuser and the victim often make the harassment more aggressive than what would 
occur in person.6 Having been involved in mental health policy for many years, we 
now recognize that the internet is also facilitating a very real new field of disorders just 
as concerning as threats to their physical well-being, and often more difficult to prevent 
given the pervasive and sometimes anonymous nature of internet communications.
D. Child Trafficking 
Another concern that has grown with the proliferation of the internet is child 
traffickingchildren being bought and sold online for sex.  In the U.S., the Innocence 
Lost National Initiative has shown that websites like MySpace and Craigs List 
(commonly used U.S. website for buying selling consumer goods) are being used to 
advertise victims and services. Traffickers also use websites to recruit their victims.  I 
understand these websites are now requesting more complete information about 
individuals seeking to post ads.  I hope this will have a positive effect.  The UK has 
developed safemodelling.org.uk, a free advice and information site to protect against 
scam modeling agencies and rogue photographers.   I continue to urge ISPs to be aware 
of the child trafficking issue, and to cooperate with law enforcement to protect the 
children in their communities.
III. Global Concern
Law enforcement officials are utilizing and enforcing statutory provisions for 
criminal behavior.  This is post anteor after an illegal act or harm to a child has 
  
6 The New York Times, August 26, 2004.
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occurred.  Todays discussion is about educating, preventing, and protecting our 
childrens precious lives before injury occurs.  Thus, I am here today not only as an 
American, but also as a global citizen.  In just the last few months, Ive traveled to 
speak on this issue at APEC-Tel, the Asian Pacific Telecom Ministers in Bangkok, and 
at the Global Forum in Italy. Ive had the privilege of meeting with ministers from a 
variety of nations to hear what they are doing to protect children in the online world.  
While certainly not exhaustive, I have included a few examples of the many 
international initiatives.
IV. Global Initiatives
Just two weeks ago, the European Parliament voted to set aside 55 million euros 
to create the EU Safer Internet program, which will promote awareness among 
children, parents and teachers of how to stay safe online.  It will also provide the public 
with national contact points for reporting illegal content and bring together researchers 
to establish a knowledge base on the use of new technologies.  The EU also funds the 
newly-established European NGO Alliance for Child Safety Online (eNASCO). 
eNASCO is a coalition of childrens rights NGOs from EU Member States working to 
promote online child safety.
The United Kingdoms Office of Communications (Ofcom) recently 
recommended to the Mobile Broadband Group, a consortium of the 6 largest U.K. 
mobile operators, that they strengthen provisions of regulations designed to prevent 
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minors from accessing adult content online.  Ofcom also recommended a voluntary 
opt-in system that would allow children to access only child-friendly content.  
The Ministry of Japan is issuing notices urging parents and schools to limit 
internet-accessible cell phones to children.  They have recommended that Japanese cell 
phone manufacturers include GPS in every phone, and limit childrens phones to talk 
capabilities only. 
In September, the Polish NGO Nobodys Child Foundation and German NGO 
KlickSafe.de co-hosted a forum called Keeping Children and Young People Safe 
Online.  At that conference it was established (through research conducted in Poland 
and Germany) that children fear being targeted by their peers, more than by internet 
predators.  
NetSafe, a New Zealand organization aiming to provide cyber safety, security, 
has produced a program called Hectors World, for New Zealand, Australian, and 
UK audiences.  This program targets children 2-10 with animated characters teaching 
positive lessons about online safety.
In Brazil, the Senate created a Special Investigation Committee (CPI) to inquire 
into pedophilia, cybercrime, and any possible links to organized crime. It is expected 
that out of this inquest may come enhanced legislation and increased law enforcement 
cooperation (and perhaps a more official role for Safernet, a Brazilian NGO that has an 
online reporting mechanism for various crimes).
VI. Private Sector Response
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In addition to the government and law enforcement initiatives, our private sector 
partners have been active participants as welldeveloping voluntary, self-regulatory 
solutions.  That is why today is so important all sectors uniting to share, to build, to 
discuss, and to take action.  In this age of convergence, its important to include 
telecom, wireless, wireline, and media companies.  Let me share a few examples from 
some good corporate citizensmany of the worlds top internet and telecom 
companies and their specific child online protection programs. 
AT&T developed the AT&T Hometown Tour, which visited more than 100 
communities nationwide and worked with more than 20,000 students from Connecticut 
to California on Internet safety lessons, programs, and workshops geared toward 
elementary- and middle-school-aged students. Students participated in fun hands-on 
activities that focus on key Internet safety skills, such as protecting computers against 
viruses, hackers and spam, as well as reviewing age-appropriate, good-computing 
habits, such as proper downloading of legal (non-pirated) material and research-
referencing. The program also emphasized keyboard skills, potential dangers associated 
with social networking, and lessons on stranger-danger.
Verizon announced earlier this year that it will provide free Internet safety tools 
for parents.  This includes a content blocker, application filters, and the ability to set 
time restrictions during which the Internet cannot be accessed.  For cell phones, they 
have four categories of protectionbroken down based on childs age and each 
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allowing a varying amount and degree of objectionable content to be set at the 
parents discretion. 
Sprint has 4NetSafety, which provides children, teachers, parents, guardians and 
other adults tools and information about online safety.  This is a partnership with the 
U.S. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the National Education 
Association Health Information Network (NEA HIN).
DOCOMO, the largest Japanese wireless provider, has even undertaken an 
internet-safety curriculum and actually sends instructors into schools to provide 
instruction. The curriculum is broken down into three parts: 1. basic rules and manners, 
2. how to deal with SPAM (filtering service, etc.), and 3. abuse and slander on the 
internet bulletin boards, blogs, and profiles.  As of July 2008, DOCOMO had attended 
6120 classes and interacted with 1 million students.
Microsoft X-box.  When first introduced, many parents thought that Microsoft 
X-Box was nothing more than a game console; yet it houses a system that functions as 
a highway to the Internet.  I am pleased that Microsoft created tools that allow children 
to play only games with certain ratings, as set by parents. Microsofts Family Settings 
also enable parents to prevent children from linking to other players over the Internet 
for multi-player gaming and let parents limit game play on a daily or weekly basis. 
Beyond the Xbox 360 Family Settings, parents can use Microsofts family safety tools 
to monitor their childs computer use -- from filtering Web content and managing email 
contacts to receiving reports that show which sites their child has visited on the Web. 
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Cox Communications held their third annual National Summit on Internet 
Safetyto launch a national dialogue and hear what teens are experiencing first-hand.  
This year the Summit, co-hosted by Miss America Lauren Nelson, focused on tweens, 
children between the ages of eight and twelve, and included parents and caregivers.  
Through the Summit it was learned that tweens online presence doubles or even triples 
between the ages of eight to ten and eleven to twelve, and one in five tweens have 
posted personal information online.  Communications between parent and child are just 
as important in the online world as they are in the offline one.
Comcast, the leading residential internet service provide in the U.S., provided 
free of charge  a PBS documentary called Growing Up Online throughout the 
month of June, Internet Safety Month.  This documentary gives parents a very real 
glimpse into what teens are doing online.  Comcast also has a For Kids and For 
Parents resource page online that provide internet safety advice and information.
Charter, another major American ISP and cable operator, provides all of its 
Internet customers with the Charter Security Suite free of charge, including two levels 
of parental controls  one for younger children and one for teens.  Charter has an 
ongoing Internet safety education program through the resources available at 
www.charter.com/security. This includes an Online Safety Guide for Parents, an 
Online Safety Guide for Kids, and links to Amber alerts and the National Center for 
Missing and Exploited Children as well as an online form that Internet users can use to 
report possible child pornography or exploitation on the Internet.
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As with most public policy issues, I believe that government agencies should tread 
cautiously before exploring heavy-handed regulation.  Fortunately, technology may be 
creating the solutions-- but we must provide parents, teachers, caregivers, and even 
children with a forum to create awareness and share knowledge in a coordinated effort.
V. Solutions
Thus, while our nations may differ regarding philosophy or specific regulatory 
oversight, we must all work together to develop solutions to the threats our children 
face online.  Todays session is an historic start.  Now that the dialogue has begun, I 
would suggest the following:  First, I believe we need an internationally-recognized 
forum for digital research, online behavioral practices, medical and psychological 
reports, and experimental studies.  Second, we must continue to disseminate this 
information, to discuss and understand the technology, the threat, and the tools 
available to protect children around the world.  Coordination among nations is vitally 
important because the internet connects and touches us all-- and all of our children.  
Third, through this sharing of research and expertise, we need to develop a 
clearinghouse of best practices, concepts that other nations can replicate.  The ITU 
website which is under development is a first step so that leaders, industry 
representatives, teachers, and parents can link to successful real-world approaches.  
Fourth, we need leadership at all levelsfrom those of you here today representing 
your respective nations at the highest levels of government, to local municipal and city 
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leaders, as well as media and industry partners, and teachers and caregivers in each of 
our nations and states.  
VI. Conclusion
The Internet and broadband have literally brought the world to our children.  
With the click of a mouse, or the push of a button on a cell phone, they have access to 
an endless array of information.  Broadband and the internet improve access to 
healthcare, drive commercial transactions, and allow for instantaneous worldwide 
communicationsliterally enhancing every sector of our economies.  As technologies 
converge, the opportunities are endless.  Telephone calls, stock quotes, news headlines, 
photos from Skybar, video games, and internet-- all from the same provider, on the 
same device.  However, as we have seen, these dazzling innovations and life-changing 
services and products for consumers bring challenges and even risksrisks to our very 
personal cybersecurity, our privacy, and most importantly, our children.  In order to 
ensure that the next generation reaches their greatest potential, we must ensure that 
they have access to a wealth of educational information in an environment that protects 
their personal information, physical safety and healthy mental development.  Mr. 
Secretary, fellow colleagues, it is an honor to be here today and I share the ITUs goal 
of increasing safety, decreasing fear and expanding the benefits of information and 
communication technologies, particularly for children around the globefrom 
Timbuktu to Tennessee and beyond.  Thank you.