WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2874/98 by Jean-Yves LE GALLOU to the Commission. Action on illegal and harmful content on the Internet
Date: 1998-09-28
Institutions: European Parliament, LE GALLOU
Subjects: child protection, code of conduct, computer network, cooperation policy, selective dissemination of information, sexual violence, telecommunications

C 142/52

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.5.1999

(1999/C 142/063)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2874/98

by Jean-Yves Le Gallou (NI) to the Commission

(28 September 1998)

Subject: Action on illegal and harmful content on the Internet

Can the Commission define the concept of ‘ illegal and harmful content on the Internet’ contained in
budget heading B5-336 of the Community budget?

Can it also specify what action it intends to take in this connection?

Finally, does the Commission envisage extending the action with regard to the Internet to the field of
publishing and the book trade?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(13 November 1998)

Illegal content is sometimes thought to be synonymous with child pornography. However, illegal content
comprises more. It relates to a wide variety of issues including national security (instructions on bomb-
making, illegal drug production, terrorist activities); protection of minors (abusive forms of marketing,
violence, pornography); protection of human dignity (incitement to racial hatred or racial discrimination);
economic security (fraud, instructions on pirating credit cards); information security (malicious hacking);
protection of privacy (unauthorised communication of personal data, electronic harassment); protection of
reputation (libel, unlawful comparative advertising); and intellectual property (unauthorised distribution
of copyrighted works, e.g. software or music).

Harmful content means both content which is allowed but the distribution of which is restricted (adults
only, for instance) and content which may offend certain users, although its publication is not restricted
because of the principle of freedom of expression.

The actions that the Commission intends to take are defined in the proposed action plan on promoting safe
use of the Internet − Communication to the Parliament, the Council, the Economic and social committee
and the Committee of the regions (1). Four action lines are proposed: creating a safe environment;
developing filtering and rating systems; encouraging awareness actions and support actions.

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission proposal for an action plan on promoting safe use
of Internet. The Parliament voted on this in first reading on 2 July 1998 (A4-0234/98). Following a
modified proposal by the Commission (2) and the common position of the Council on 24 September
1998 (3), Parliament will examine the proposal under the co-decision procedure.

The Commission does not envisage extending the action with regard to the Internet to the field of
publishing and the book trade.

The Council has also adopted conclusions on 5 October 1998 insisting on the need, in order to ensure
better prevention and action against child pornography on the Internet, to have coordinated measures with
regard to technical, economic, audio-visual, social, judicial and police aspects. As regards in particular the
last element, the Austrian Presidency has recently proposed a draft for a joint action promoting
prosecution of offences and co-operation in this area. The Commission is fully associated with this work.

(1) OJ C 48, 13.2.1998.
(2) COM(98) 518.
(3) Not yet published.