Fiona Bruce MP welcomes today’s announcement for internet and other safeguards for children as a good first step – but more needs to be done
In new measures announced today, four leading web providers (BT, Sky, Talk Talk and Virgin) have joined forces to make it easier for families to block access by children to inappropriate adult content on the internet.
A new service, ‘Active Choice,’ will enable new subscribers to select whether or not their children can access adult material online. The service will be available by October 2012.
Fiona Bruce, one of a number of MPs in a cross-party Parliamentary Inquiry into Online Child Protection which is pressing for reforms to protect children, said today:
“I welcome this development as the start of a much needed process to protect children from adult x-rated content which far too many can access online. However, much more needs to be done and many questions need to be answered - Active Choice is only to be available for new subscribers – so as 77 per cent of British households already have internet access, they will not be covered; the scheme obviously needs to be extended. Additionally, bearing in the mind the technology to implement Active Choice already exists; this should be done much more quickly than October 2012.”
Other announcements made today by the Prime Minister to limit the sexualisation of children include a ban on billboards displaying risqué images near schools and the launch of Parentport.
Parentport - www.parentport.org.uk - is a website enabling people to complain about television programmes, advertisements, products or services which they believe to be unsuitable for children. This could include complaints over children’s fashion, such as padded bras for seven year old girls or the sexualised performances of Rihanna and Christina Aguilera on programmes such as The X Factor. Fiona Bruce is urging residents in the Congleton constituency to make their views known through this website.
In addition to her involvement in the Parliamentary Inquiry into Online Child Protection, Fiona also assisted the development of the ‘Buy Bye Childhood’ campaign, conducting consultations with concerned groups in Cheshire. This campaign, in conjunction with the Bailey Review, urged the Government to take steps to reduce the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood. The moves announced today form part of the Government’s response to this pressure for action in this area which Fiona says “reflects the concerns of very many of my constituents.”
Fiona commented:
“I have no doubt today’s announcements stem in large part from the Government listening to these campaigns and I am pleased that the Prime Minister is personally ensuring that action is being taken. I will continue to campaign to increase child safety online and also ensure this Government enables every child to have the childhood they deserve.”
Joanne Speed, CEO of the Congleton based charity v i s y o n, commented:
“As a local charity engaged in supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people, we are very pleased to hear of the developments in Parliament today with respect to child internet safety and highly endorse the work of Fiona and other MPs in this field. There is no doubt that children and young people today are exposed to a whole range of issues that they should be protected from, and this has a severely undermining and damaging impact on their emotional health and wellbeing. We look forward to hearing of further developments in the near future, and continue to support the ongoing parliamentary campaign to reduce the commercialisation and sexualisation of our children and young people.”
