Can You Help To Protect Our Children In The UK From Internet Abusers?
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
April 10, 2008 10:53am CST
I know I've spoken on this subject before, but it's a subject very close to my heart and a letter I received from the NSPCC this morning, prompted me to take action.
As we all know, the Internet is an amazing tool for most children and young people today... they can learn so much more from the wealth of information available, at the click of a mouse. But sadly, the Internet has become a place where children are threatened and targeted by abusers.
Ok, we all try to monitor our kids' time on the Internet, but with all the best will in the World, we can't be behind them twenty four hours a day. So, to my mind, any help parents can get, will be a bonus, in the protection of their kids and many other kids across the UK. Here's where the NSPCC comes in, and you can make a difference. The NSPCC is campaigning for safer Internet for children, by petitioning to have child protection software installed in all PCs as a standard procedure. This wouldn't take away an adult's ability to access adult sites. It would just give theirs and other children a much safer access to the Internet.
So, are you willing to support this campaign, and any other campaign you feel will help our children in the UK? You can choose to do so, by registering on the following link, and signing today... please think about it... I have just signed the petition. I have no children at home, but if it helps my grandchildren and our nation's kids, then I'm all for it. We never know who's lurking in the back of our PC.
http://www.bethefullstop.com/pages/DeedDetail.aspx?DeedId=3
Feel free to air your views here, whether you want to sign or not. I respect that we all have differing opinions and standards, and will welcome your comments. Unfortunately, the Scottish Laws differ from ours slightly, I believe, so I'm not sure if this applies to Scotland, but you can still vote, or read through the NSPCC's intentions. If you don't wish to comment, just go, have a look and sign or not sign, in private.
There's one thing I do know... if this petition is successful, then we will all have much more peace of mind, with regard to the safety of our children in the UK. Thank you for giving me a moment of your time, and Brightest Blessings to all who have come here.
5 responses
@Darkwing (21583)
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10 Apr 08
Maybe it already has, but you haven't heard about it yet my friend. I was asked to post, via another site some time ago, on a blog. The person on there was promoting software to protect children. In fact I started a discussion on it, but the banner he sent me never worked. Grrrrrrrrr.
It would be nice if the NSPCC could promote all around the World, but perhaps there is some reason they can't. I'll go back and have a look at the site in a sec, but I think UK was already positioned in the sign-up and there was no choice. I'll let you know.
Brightest Blessings my dear friend, and thank you for your contribution.
@ShardAerliss (1488)
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10 Apr 08
How is this going to work in protecting children from abusers? The link has no detail as to WHAT software will be installed on computers and how it will work to protect children.
Or if it did I couldn't find it... I am rather addled by lack of sleep and over work though _
Now, don't get me wrong, I think children should be able to play safely where ever they are. However, I'm not sure this is a measure that will do any good... but that's simply because I don't know what the measure will entail.
Please, elucidate.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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10 Apr 08
There was a report a little while ago on the BBC website about a software programme being built into the computers prior to sale, which would protect the children from internet abusers. I'll try to find my previous discussion for you, although I'm not allowed to post the link and promote it... it's against guidelines to do so.
From what I can gather, the safety software will be installed in each and every computer, which is on sale in the UK. If adults wish to visit adult sites, then this can be done with the use of a code, but the children still won't be put at risk. That's about as much as I can tell you.
The way I see it is, there's a possibility that this will do good for children, and if not, what have we lost in signing the petition? Thus, I signed. If it helps just a portion of the kids in the UK, I'm for it.
Brightest Blessings, my friend and thank you for your contribution. Keep drinking the coffee!!! 
@Darkwing (21583)
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11 Apr 08
Firstly, I'm with you on the coffee, my friend. I prefer tea and green tea. 
I'm going to have to try and dig out the BBC's report on this from their archives. I think the idea is probably that only children can gain access to children's sites, but I see you point, in that any adult who purchases a computer with this software, could purport to be a child and enter also.
My nine year old granddaughter loves Neopets and so does her older sister, so I will surely tell my Son and Daughter-in-Law, about the perpetration of that site, if they're not aware of it already. Thank you for the heads up.
I don't know how they're intending to get around all this, but I'm willing to give them a go, because it can't do any harm, but at the same time, it can do heaps of good. That's why I signed. I'm sure there will be lots of arguments for and against, but I sincerely hope they get a go at it and are able to prove themselves.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution, my friend.
I'm going to have to try and dig out the BBC's report on this from their archives. I think the idea is probably that only children can gain access to children's sites, but I see you point, in that any adult who purchases a computer with this software, could purport to be a child and enter also.
My nine year old granddaughter loves Neopets and so does her older sister, so I will surely tell my Son and Daughter-in-Law, about the perpetration of that site, if they're not aware of it already. Thank you for the heads up.
I don't know how they're intending to get around all this, but I'm willing to give them a go, because it can't do any harm, but at the same time, it can do heaps of good. That's why I signed. I'm sure there will be lots of arguments for and against, but I sincerely hope they get a go at it and are able to prove themselves.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution, my friend. @ShardAerliss (1488)
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11 Apr 08
Coffee!? Arg! lol... tea drinker!
Right. I've been discussing this with friends, so expect some varied viewpoints within my posts. I'll just mark out the points they made... and the odd one I have thought up myself, lol
How will preventing children from visiting 'adult' sites protect them from abuse? 'Abusers' do not search for targets on adult sites (that kinda goes against what they want), but on children's sites.
Do any of you know Neopets? I've been a member for ten years. I remember when it was a site for students, then the owners sold up and moved to California... and the site became dedicated to children. Anyway...
There used to be a "General Chat" forum. When the media found out that a girl had been approached and coerced by an older man on this forum (known to members as the GC) the 'room' was removed! *sigh* Talking about anything other than Neopets was utterly banned from then on.
My point? That children can be approached on ANY site. Even (and especially) ones directed purely at children. How can preventing children from accessing 'pr0n' sites protect them?
If a parent wants to prevent their child using certain sites then they can easily install software to do so this themselves (windows comes with such options already!!). To insist that ALL computers be sold with such additional software is un-viable.
What software should they go with? AVG? MS? AOL (those are the few I know about)? And what about computers that do not have MS Windows installed? What about people who do not want this software? Not all computers are sold to (and actually it's quite a minority) family households.
So, what does this software do to protect children?
@kayrod2 (1304)
• Australia
11 Apr 08
unfortunately, this is a big problem around the world. only today i was reading a news article about a girl who befriended someone over the internet, only to go and meet them and was raped by 2 men. she thought she was making friends, but that was not to be. the men have been caught, thankfully, but there are a lot who arent. i think it is great what they are trying to do, but it should go worldwide.
best wishes and take care
1 person likes this
@wickedangel (1636)
• Dominican Republic
11 Apr 08
Oh goodness yes, this is brilliant, why haven't they done this before now. Why don't they get Microsoft and Apple in on this already. Why does it have to be a Charity that picks up the pieces (after so many horses have already bolted from the stable!!) who instigates this sort of thing. You're on and I'm signing for me and getting my BF to sign, plus I will foward to all my friend who do and don't have kids. This is important. Too many corrupt adults see this as an easy way into to corrupting our kids/grandkids. And so many parents don't necessarily know how to monitor their kids online. Think about it, the kids of today can run rings around us in the technology department!!
Thank you VERY MUCH for sharing this with us. :)
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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11 Apr 08
You're more than welcome, my friend. The reason it's taken so long is that it has been proposed to the government and thrown out on more than one occasion. This time, they're collecting signatures in order to show the government how strongly people feel about their children's safety. There are bound to be for and against arguments, but I feel that they should be given the chance to prove themselves with this installation, even if it's only done on a trial run, as a survey, initially, then installed in all computers if successful. Since I've been on the Internet, I've seen loads of problems with predators. Even grown women have walked into problems, so I think we ought to protect the children as vehemently as we can.
Thank you for your support, and your contribution, and Brightest Blessings to you, my friend. Do spread the word!
@ruby222 (4847)
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10 Apr 08
Anything that protects the young from being exposed to the sites that they shouldnt have access to is worth a try.
As you say the internet is a wonderful thing..use correctly..
But its so frustrating to think that there are sad people who masquerade as someone or something that they are not!!!
In a world where we have to watch children constantly..its sad to think that there computer usage has to be well monitored.
My grandaughter took a little craze on `googling`..but it meant they hd to sit with her all of the time when she was doing it..shes very young....so inevitably they said that they preffered her not to do it...which she readily accepted.
Parental controls can only probably do so much....so let the NSPCC be successful in their campaign.
@Darkwing (21583)
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10 Apr 08
Yes, you're quite right, and not only frustrating but sickening to think that these people can hide, and prey on the youngsters. It is sad to have to monitor the kids' progress, you're right because some of them are quite genius with a computer. My grandchildren can teach me a thing or two, but of course, their time has to be very limited, owing to parents having other things to do.
I hope the NSPCC is successful, as well, and thank you very much for adding your contribution here. Brightest Blessings.
