Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on Safer Internet Programme (2009-2013)
Date: 2008-10-09
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: Internet, Internet site, action programme, new technology, pornography, violence

19.12.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 325/81

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on ‘Safer Internet Programme (2009-2013)’

(2008/C 325/14)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— believes that the actions carried out so far need to be adapted to new requirements given the emer-

gence of new technologies and services which generate fresh hazards and increase existing ones;

— recommends that at least an outline consensus on ‘illegal content’ be reached by comparing criminal
law norms and seeing what they have in common. Actions should support the compilation of a
European blacklist of illegal content and the promotion of its use by internet providers;

— calls for activities aimed at increasing the awareness among end-users to explicitly include local
authorities and government, which are closest to the target groups and have the greatest potential for
disseminating information and implementing concrete programmes and projects;

— recommends that awareness-raising centres should follow defined strategies in approaching children,
parents and teachers and ensure that their measures are of a good quality. The programme has to
support a more active media involvement in campaigns to raise awareness as well;

— believes that it is particularly important to have the closest possible collaboration between hotlines,
law enforcement bodies and internet providers, and secure the involvement of other players, such as
the appropriate social organisations and NGO's;

— urges actions to create teaching materials in information technology and media skills to cover safe
online environments. Actions should also be aimed not only at protecting children but also at instil-
ling an active mastery of safe internet use (empowerment).

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Official Journal of the European Union

19.12.2008

Rapporteur:

Ján ORAVEC (SK/EPP), Mayor of the City of Štúrovo

Reference document

Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a multiannual Com-
munity programme on protecting children using the Internet and other communication technologies

COM(2008) 106 final — 2008/0047 COD

I. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

General comments

General remarks on the programme

1.
shares the view that in the period since the inception of
the Safer Internet Action Plan, both the technologies and related
uses have changed considerably. Children are active users of
online technologies, and increasingly so. Protecting them from
harmful content, curbing the distribution of illegal content and
educating them to have a critical and aware approach to the
represents a huge problem which politicians and
internet
law-makers, industry, end-users and particularly parents, carers
and teachers have to tackle in a pro-active fashion;

agrees that among the most serious risks to children
2.
related to online technologies are: cases where they are harmed
directly, as victims of sexual abuse, which is documented
through photographs, films or audio files and then transmitted
online; direct contact by people who befriend them in order to
commit sexual abuse (‘grooming’), or when they become victims
of bullying in the online environment (‘cyber-bullying’);

takes note of the findings of the final evaluation of the

3.
Safer Internet Action Plan;

4.
values EU programmes for a safer internet as the only
pan-European initiatives addressing child protection in the
online environment;

5.
agrees that the actions carried out have been effective, but
believes they need to be adapted to new requirements given the
emergence of new technologies and services which generate
fresh hazards and increase existing ones;

welcomes the fact

the new programme facilitates
6.
collaboration and the pooling of experience and best practices
at all
levels regarding child safety on the internet and thus
enhances European added value;

that

8.
recommends, however, that at least an outline consensus
on illegal content be reached by comparing criminal law norms
and seeing what they have in common;

believes that the measures proposed will help to protect
9.
children using the internet and other communication technolo-
gies, will react to new developments and will curb distribution
of illegal content online, especially online distribution of child
sexual abuse material, grooming and bullying;

10.
hopes that further activities will be aimed at stimulating
and encouraging the development and application of technical
solutions for dealing with illegal content and harmful conduct
online, as well as at promoting cooperation and exchange of
best practice among a wide range of stakeholders at
local,
regional, European and international level;

recommends holding annual guidance meetings

for
11.
stakeholders at national, European and international
level,
enabling them to discuss current challenges and issues, exchange
best practices and promote cooperation;

12.
is disappointed that activities aimed at increasing the
awareness of the public, in particular children, parents, carers
and educators, about opportunities and risks related to the use
of online technologies and means of staying safe online, do not
explicitly include local and regional authorities, which are
closest to the target groups and have the greatest potential for
information and implementing
communicating
concrete programmes and projects;

important

supports the creation and further development of a
13.
knowledge base to be used in tackling present and emerging
risks and the consequences of internet use;

14.
recommends coordinating investigation activities in rele-
vant fields within and outside the EU and developing knowledge
concerning the (evolving) ways children use online technologies,
associated risks and the possible harmful effects the use of
including technical,
online technologies can have on them,
psychological and social issues as well as giving positive exam-
ples of educating children to adopt a critical approach to the
media;

7.
is conscious of the difficulty of achieving a consensus defi-
nition of the terms ‘illegal content’ and ‘harmful content’, which
are judged differently in different countries and cultures;

fully supports linking efforts to the Safer internet plus

15.
programme, which should be improved;

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Official Journal of the European Union

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calls on Community institutions and Member State governments to give tackling this issue the atten-

16.
tion it deserves within the powers available to them;

hopes that implementing measures thoroughly will help to reduce the threat to children using the

17.
internet and other communication technologies.

II. PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

Amendment 1

Annex I — Action line 1

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

1. Providing the public with contact points for reporting
online illegal content and harmful conduct. Activities
should ensure that these contact points are effective and
visible for the public, liaise closely with other actions at
national level, and cooperate at European level to deal
with cross-border issues and to exchange best practice.

1. Providing the public with contact points for reporting
online illegal content and harmful conduct. Activities
should ensure that these contact points are effective and
visible for the public, liaise closely with other actions at
national level, and cooperate at European level to deal
with cross-border issues and to exchange best practice.
Support should be given to publicising hotlines among
end-users and the potential of
to
disseminate important information should be exploited.

local government

Reason

Contact points and hotlines can only fulfil their function if the maximum number of end-users are aware of
their existence. For this reason, they need maximum publicity and local governments are very well equipped
for this.

Amendment 2

Annex I — Action line 1

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

2. Tackling harmful conduct online, in particular grooming
and bullying. Activities will aim to tackle online
grooming, the process by which an adult befriends a
child with the intention of committing sexual abuse,
and bullying. Actions will deal with technical, psycholo-
gical and sociological issues related to these issues and
will promote cooperation and coordination between
stakeholders.

2. Tackling harmful conduct online, in particular grooming
and bullying. Activities will aim to tackle online
grooming, the process by which an adult befriends a
child with the intention of committing sexual abuse,
and bullying. Actions will deal with technical, psycholo-
gical and sociological issues related to these issues and
will promote cooperation and coordination between
stakeholders.
It is particularly important to have the
closest possible collaboration between hotlines,
law
enforcement bodies and internet providers on the one
hand, and secure the involvement of other players, such
as the appropriate social organisations and NGO's, on
the other.

Reason

If effective countermeasures are to be taken, there must be a rapid and constant stream of information from
hotlines to other players in the fight against illegal content and harmful conduct.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Amendment 3

Annex I — Action line 1

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

3. Stimulating application of technical solutions for dealing
adequately with illegal content and harmful conduct
online. Activities should encourage the development or
adaptation of effective technological
to deal
adequately with illegal content and tackle harmful
conduct online, for general use by stakeholders.

tools

3. Supporting and stimulating application of

technical
solutions for dealing adequately with illegal content and
harmful conduct online. Activities should encourage the
development or adaptation of effective technological
tools to deal adequately with illegal content and tackle
harmful conduct online, for general use by stakeholders.
the coordination of
Actions should further support
work to compile a European blacklist of illegal content
and the promotion of its use by internet providers.

Reason

New technical solutions need to be not just encouraged, but also supported. A European blacklist could help
in preventing or possibly reacting to illegal content.

Amendment 4

Annex I — Action line 2

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

3. Stimulating the involvement of children and young
people in creating a safer online environment. Actions
will aim to involve children and young people with the
aim of better understanding their views and experiences
concerning the use of online technologies and on how
to promote a safer online environment for children.

3. Stimulating the involvement of children and young
people in creating a safer online environment. Actions
will aim to involve children and young people with the
aim of better understanding their views and experiences
concerning the use of online technologies and on how
to promote a safer online environment for children.
Actions should further include the creation of teaching
materials in information technology and media skills to
cover safe online environments and the dangers of
illegal content and harmful conduct. Actions should
also be aimed not only at protecting children but also at
internet use
instilling an active mastery of
(empowerment).

safe

Reason

A trained teacher can use interactive teaching methods to alert children to the dangers of internet use, while
at the same time learning from their reactions about their views and experiences with online technologies.

Amendment 5

Annex I — Action line 2

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

4. Increasing information about adequate tools for dealing
with harmful content online. Activities will aim to
increase information about the performance and effec-
tiveness of tools for dealing with potentially harmful
content online and to equip users with information,
instruments and applications adequately supporting
them in dealing with harmful content across different
platforms.

4. Increasing information about adequate tools for dealing
with harmful content online and informing end-users
about available means of
filtering harmful content.
Activities will aim to increase information about the
performance and effectiveness of tools for dealing with
potentially harmful content online and to equip users
applications
instruments
with
adequately supporting them in dealing with harmful
content across different platforms.

information,

and

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Reason

Information about suitable or new means of tackling harmful content is important not only for specialists
in the field, but for practically every end-user so that they can do their best to respond appropriately and as
effectively as possible to new dangers.

Amendment 6

Annex I — Action line 3

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

1. Raising public awareness and disseminating information
on safer use of online technologies. The activities will
promote public awareness by providing adequate infor-
mation about possibilities, risks and ways to deal with
them in a coordinated way across Europe. Activities will
encourage cost-effective means of distributing awareness
information to a large number of users.

1. Raising public awareness and disseminating information
on safer use of online technologies and supporting a
more active media involvement in campaigns to raise
awareness. The activities will promote public awareness
by providing adequate information about possibilities,
risks and ways to deal with them in a coordinated way
across Europe. Activities will encourage cost-effective
means of distributing awareness information to a large
number of users.

Reason

Both local and national media have a vital role to play in disseminating information on safer use of online
technologies. Their inclusion in the process and in campaigns to raise awareness should therefore be
encouraged.

Amendment 7

Annex I — Action line 3

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

2. Providing contact points where parents and children can
receive answers to questions about how to stay safe
online. Activities will be aimed at empowering users to
make informed and responsible choices by providing
them with advice on relevant information and precau-
tions to be taken to remain safe online.

2. Providing contact points where parents and children can
receive answers to questions about how to stay safe
online. Activities will should be aimed at empowering
users to make informed and responsible choices by
providing them with advice on relevant information and
precautions to be taken to remain safe online. Actions
should be aimed at making public awareness of these
contact points as great as possible.

Reason

Contact points can only fulfil their role if the public at large or the end-users are aware of them and there-
fore know where to go for information and answers to their queries.

Amendment 8

Annex I — Action line 3

Text proposed by the Commission

CoR amendment

3. Encouraging enhancement of efficient and cost-effective
awareness-raising methods and tools. Actions will be
aimed at improving relevant awareness-raising methods
and tools with a view to making them more efficient
and cost-effective in a long-term perspective.

3. Requiring awareness-raising centres to follow defined
strategies in approaching children, parents and teachers.
Encouraging enhancement of efficient and cost-effective
awareness-raising methods and tools. Actions should
will be aimed at improving relevant awareness-raising
methods and tools with a view to making them more
efficient and cost-effective in a long-term perspective; in
so doing, efforts should be made to ensure that these
measures are of a good quality.

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Reason

Awareness-raising centres play one of the most important roles in increasing public awareness, since the
information they provide will be passed on, directly or through various information channels, to the public
at large. They must therefore be able to point out dangers and offer responses. It is vital here to coordinate
and collaborate closely with experts in media skills and media literacy.

Brussels, 9 October 2008.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Luc VAN DEN BRANDE