Government warns of Web paedophiles

 

Gallery

By Alun Williams

Posted on 6 Jan 2003 at 14:02

The government has launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the threat to children of paedophiles online. It will run on television and radio, as well as the Web itself.

Part of the £1m initiative is the Web site www.thinkuknow.co.uk. Aimed at children, it particularly addresses the dangers of chatrooms.

'Where you get the inside info on how to stay safe while having fun online' is the strap line for the site. As part of the advice, two little case histories help children how to react to problems.

The advice for children, as ever, is basically common sense practice: do not reveal personal details, keep your parents informed of contacts made through the Internet and report anything that is unpleasant or makes you uncomfortable.

The advice for parents is to take an interest in their kids' computer activities, including which sites that are allowed to visit, and to be aware of the possible content-filtering software available.

You may already have seen one of the television warnings, which highlights the danger of adults assuming younger identities. You hear what appears to be the voice of a young boy describing his interests, but the camera pans out to reveal an older man.

The new campaign runs until the end of January.

Back in November we reported on a similar Safe Surfing campaign, which was also designed to raise awareness of child safety on the Internet.