WRITTEN QUESTION E-2023/01

by Elizabeth Lynne (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 July 2001)

Subject: US study on solicitation of children on the Internet

Will the Commission be taking any action to examine the recent findings of US studies which showed that one in five children who go online regularly have been approached by strangers for sex at least once in the past year. The studies indicate that neither the presence of Internet filters nor parental monitoring of children's Internet use decreased the likelihood that a child would be sexually solicited by a stranger online. Because of the global spread of the Internet it is unlikely that these trends are isolated to the United States. Does the Commission therefore intend to complete similar European research to build upon the American results? Furthermore, does the Commission see that such studies raise the need for further European-wide action in this area that builds upon the STOP and Daphne programmes and the recently adopted initiative of the Swedish Presidency on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography? If so, what future action is planned?

The main study to which I refer is: Kimberly J. Mitchell, PhD; David Finkelhor, PhD; Janis Wolak, JD, Risk Factors for and Impact of Online Sexual Solicitation of Youth. Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol 285, No 23, June 20, 2001.

There is also a similar report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. This is due for full publication very soon.

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2001)

The Commission has taken a number of initiatives to protect minors from the risks linked to the Internet. Information and studies, like the one mentioned by the Honourable Member, confirm that initiatives developed at Community level and at a technical level should be complemented by actions taken by other authorities and bodies, including those at local level.

At Community level, the Safer Internet Action Plan(1) provides 25 million in co-funding over four years for projects under three main action lines:

- hotlines to report illegal content and contacts,

- filtering to enhance parental control,

- raising awareness of safer use of the Internet.

Following open calls for proposals:

- hotlines are being financed in 11 countries,

- a total of 13 projects are being financed to improve filtering and rating of content,

- nine projects for awareness-raising have been financed covering a wide geographical area (all Member States except Luxembourg, Norway and Iceland).

A further call for proposals on awareness actions is being planned for publication at the end of October 2001.

These actions taken together offers effective ways of providing support to the activities of law-enforcement in dealing with illegal activities and for parents when dealing with content which is not illegal but which they consider harmful for their children.

The Commission will, furthermore, create a web site http://www.saferinternet.org with a monthly newsletter for all those interested in raising awareness about safer use of the Internet. The newsletter includes news items and gives further details of the activities of Community-funded projects. The sixth issue of the newsletter appeared in September 2001.

The Commission recently organised a workshop on the safer use of new interactive technologies. This included discussion of difficulties raised by new uses such as chat and peer-to-peer file transfer. The final report, which includes recommendations, is available at http://www.saferinternet.org/resources/reports.asp.

As regards the STOP Programme, there have been projects related to the sollicitation of children on the Internet, e.g. the CAIR Report prepared by Dublin City University. Projects addressing this issue are also eligible for co-financing under the recently adopted STOP II Programme. The evaluation of the projects is currently underway. Means have also been added this financial year to the Daphne Programme, so as to support information campaigns and awareness raising, as well as prevention measures on paedophilia, child sex abuse and exploitation. The evaluation of projects in these fields is currently underway.

Finally, the Commission's proposal for a Framework Decision on combating sexual exploitation of children and child pornography(2), including child pornography on the Internet, is currently under discussion in the Council. This discussion will also take into account the opinion of the Parliament adopted on 11 June 2001. The aim of the draft Framework Decision is to provide common definitions and common sanctions for the criminal offence of sexual exploitation of children and child pornography. The draft Framework Decision would require Member States to transmit to the General Secretariat of the Council and to the Commission the texts they adopted for the transposition of the Framework Decision into national law. The Council would on the basis of this information assess whether the Member States had taken the necessary measures in order to comply with the Framework Decision. Such an assessment would also provide the information needed to assess whether further initiatives in the field of approximation of criminal law to fight sexual exploitation of children and child pornography were necessary.

(1) OJ C 92, 1.4.1999.

(2) OJ C 62 E, 27.2.2001.