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This deal is an example of how policymakers and the industry leaders can begin to work together to address the best methods for protecting our kids online and highlighting the important role that tools play for parents.
Parents must be involved in their children's Internet activity. The more parents are involved, the safer our kids will be. Parents need to educate themselves on the tools that are available; websites such as www.getnetwise.com are a resource for helpful tips and demos on online safety. Service providers are also engaged and offer information on their websites, such as AT&T's Smart Limits. There is still more to be done to help protect our kids, but we are working in the right direction. The more diligent we all are on this issue, the better prepared we'll be to keep our kids safe online.
Here are a couple of news articles about the deal:
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Business/2008/01/14/myspace_state_ags_state_safety_principles/4874/
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/web20/61218.html
Who should assume greater responsibility for keeping kids safe online? Law enforcement? Government? Parents?
Each of these groups has a critical role- government, for example, is certainly an important contributor to promoting online safety, but regulations can only extend so far. Ultimately, parents remain the greatest influence in affecting their children's behavior online.
At last month's FOSI conference, Roger Cochetti from the Computing Technology Industry Association shared a similar viewpoint. Cochetti compared perceptions of online safety vs. offline safety, asserting that it is common sense that parents should be the ultimate protectors of children in both worlds.
But what exactly can parents do to protect their children in the world of Web 2.0? AT&T's Dorothy Atwood shared insights about the tools available to aide parents, such as AT&T's Smart Limits, which allows parents to filter content and monitor online use. You can learn more about Smart Limits here.
I want to take a moment to call attention to several excellent resources from last week's FOSI conference. The day was packed with great speakers, workshops, and presentations, all of which were extremely valuable. Topics included trends, the role of government regulation, and international policy.
In coming posts, I'll focus more on a few of these topics, including research and the role of education, but I encourage anyone interested in the latest online safety information to review the following resources:
FOSI's Annual State of Online Safety Report
Media Creativity and the Public Good by the Aspen Institute
A blog post from Google's Chief Internet Evangelist on the company's role in keeping kids safe online
For the past ten years, I have worked on communications issues, representing the interests of consumers in the marketplace, and working to promote policies that address the evolving communications world.
The changing marketplace has always presented challenges to consumers. However, with today's explosion of Web 2.0 applications - from online shopping, to social networking sites, to the millions of blogs that seem to have been created overnight - consumers confront new issues and obstacles. While the Internet provides unlimited opportunities for communications and information applications, it also brings a growing need for easily accessible guidance and clear information. This blog will attempt to help consumers navigate some of the more challenging Web 2.0 issues.
As an advocate for consumer interests, and as a parent, no issue is more pressing than that of online safety. It is my intent that this blog become a tool and resource for parents, teachers, educators, community leaders, lawmakers, and other interested parties, to learn more about the challenges of evolving technologies- and most importantly -find solutions.
Welcome to my blog.
