E-Safety and Online Risk Dr Shirley Atkinson 15 th December 2010 BCS Sociotechnical Specialist Group

Tonight Consider the online world Consider our view of risk Outline current world of e-safety Research at University of Plymouth Discuss what we feel about internet safety

Do you remember a time without the Internet? ,368,103

A young person’s world?

Being online Are we just talking about the Internet? How many phones have you had? Can somebody tell me about their first one? How is it different to the one you have now? Who has a gaming console? What is it? Do you go online with it?

Capabilities increased AdMob-Mobile-Metrics-Highlights.pdf AdMob-Mobile-Metrics-Highlights.pdf

Location based services Fully integrated into iPhone and others Services based on where you are Originally sold as tracking for children On the back of Soham Ethical issue there Useful when somewhere new Needs careful handling Google/Skyhook

Facebook what-social-networking-site-is-blamed-for-amid-syphilis-claims.html

Are there any dangers in going online?

How likely will these happen to you? Consider each of the risks mentioned. Rate them: 1 = very likely to happen to you 2 = Could happen 3 = very unlikely

Risk Perceptions Media concern focuses heavily on extreme but rare cases The abduction of children Dangers of online stalking and grooming But it sells their stories Byron will often ask “What about our own childhood”? Where did we play? What was our favourite place? Makes the point children no longer allowed outside to play So turn to unsupervised online activities

Getting the balance right But we have a duty to get the balance right If people think that risk is unbounded, then technology cannot provide them with opportunities, fear becomes a barrier Or, in the case of some young people: Dismissing safety advice as irrelevant! Putting themselves into further danger through their actions

Parental attitudes Block it Deny or restrict access Monitor it Control Cyberspace!

Key media e-safety messages Chance to evaluate a selection of stories from this year! What is key message? Does it fit with your risk model? What does it say about the risk model of the editor/author?

What do you think?

E-Safety initiatives over time 2008 Initiatives heavily based on risk-laden examples CEOP concentrated on predation Promoted use of the report abuse button to parents Internet safety tips based on premise of “stranger-danger” School policies concentrated on blocking and filtering 2009 Byron influence felt More of a focus on Cyberbullying Encouraging use of peer education CEOP International Youth Panel SWGfL youth panel

Key E-Safety initiatives this year EU Kids Online & EU Kids Online II Common risks = communicating with new people not met face to face, seeing potential harmful user generated content Much rarer for children to meet a new online contact offline or be bullied online CEOP Protect Volunteer Beat Bullying Cybermentor

University of Plymouth Research Close links with SWGfL Next year become Safer Internet Centre Part of EU network Peer Education Sexting Community understanding Passwords Online Gaming

What are your thoughts? Where should we be going with e-safety

Thank you