21/04/2005: International children's organizations call for more Internet safety
20/04/2005: Cinsel Sömürü Üzerine Ulusal Komite Kurulmali
19/04/2005: Internet sicura per i bambini lo chiedono 67 ong nel mondo
19/04/2005: INFANCIA: Amenaza en línea
19/04/2005: Action urged on child porn
19/04/2005: Web safety campaign to protect kids
19/04/2005: IT firms urged to help protect kids online
19/04/2005: Call for IT industry to fund war on child porn
19/04/2005: Rights Group Asks Thailand IT Vendors To Help Protect Children
18/04/2005: Internet safety campaign launched to protect children - Hindustan Times, India
18/04/2005: Internet safety campaign launched to protect children - Philippine Daily Inquirer and GMA Network
18/04/2005: Children's organisations around the world are urging technology companies to make the internet safer.
18/04/2005: RIGHTS: Groups Come Together to Save Children From On-line Predators
18/04/2005: Detská organizace chce vetší bezpecnost internetu pro deti
18/04/2005: IT business asked to protect children online
18/04/2005: Children’s Organisations across the World Call for Action on Internet Safety
18/04/2005: Internet safety campaign launched to protect children, stem abuse - Middle East Times
18/04/2005: Internet safety campaign launched to protect children, stem abuse - Manager Online
18/04/2005: IT industry told to 'cough up' by child campaigners
18/04/2005: Internetkampagne gegen Kinderpornographie gestartet
18/04/2005: Rights groups in Thailand call for high-tech businesses to ensure children's safety online
18/04/2005: Internet: parte la campagna per la sicurezza dei minori
18/04/2005: "Make it safe" gegen Kinderpornographie
18/04/2005: Gemeinsam gegen Kinderpornographie
18/04/2005: Un sistema globale di protezione dei bambini dai pericoli della rete e una campagna mondiale di informazione
18/04/2005: Kamp mot barnporr på nätet inleds idag
18/04/2005: Internetkampány a gyermek-pornográfia ellen
18/04/2005: Internetkampagne gegen Kinderpornographie gestartet
18/04/2005: Detská organizace chce vetší bezpecnost internetu pro deti

International children's organizations call for more Internet safety - The Internet In Asia @www.blogger.com (21/04/2005)

The launch of the worldwide make-IT-safe campaign led by ECPAT International, a global child-rights NGO based in Bangkok, Thailand, and the UK-based Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS) is aimed at increasing protection for children online. This new campaign is urging governments, leading Internet and high tech companies to take more responsibility over this issue.

The make-IT-safe campaign will lobby IT leaders to create a global child protection body to set and implement worldwide industry standards, research safety technologies, and fund a global educational campaign, and for governments to enforce more child friendly IT policies that will hold major organizations responsible for their actions in this regard.

They say that children are ardent fans and large users of ICT technology but their ICT use is not always supervised by adults and so are being exposed to harmful or damaging materials online . They acknowledge that parents, teachers, children's groups and governments all have their part to play. But insist that only the IT industry can deliver the technological and financial resources to ensure the safety of children and young people online and in interactive technologies.

In Singapore for example, the majority of teenagers who are active in various online communities, have met online acquaintances on their own offline. Although this is a worrying issue, parents should be the first to take responsibility for their children. There is not much point in pressuring third parties to come up with prevention measures if safety precautions and educating the child on the possible dangers does not start at home.

* Published by the Singapore Internet Research Centre at Nanyang Technological University. We post news items and academic research concerning the social, cultural, economic, and political impact of the Internet and other new media technologies in Asia.

Cinsel Sömürü Üzerine Ulusal Komite Kurulmali (20/04/2005)

BIA (Istanbul) - "Çocuklarin ticari cinsel sömürüsüne karsi mücadele için her ülkenin datayli bir durum tespiti yapmasi ve farkli kurumlari bir araya getirecek, plan olusturacak bir ulusal komite kurmasi gerekli. Türkiye'de bunlarin ikisi de yok" diyor ECPAT Genel Direktörü Carmen Madrinan.

Bilgi Üniversitesi'nde yapilan "Risk Altindaki Çocuk ve Ergenler Sempozyumu"nun ikinci gününde konusan Madrinan, çocuklarin fuhus, çocuk pornografisi, çocuk ticareti ve seks turizmi ile cinsel sömürüye maruz kaldigini; sorunun her geçen gün büyüdügünü söyledi.

Bir senedir Yeniden Saglik ve Egitim Dernegi'yle (Yeniden) birlikte Türkiye'de bir durum analizi olusturmak için çalistiklarini anlatan Madrinan, arastirma sonuçlarinin yapilacak bir konferansla açiklanacagini belirtti.

Internet'te çocuk pornosu yayginlasiyor

Iki gün önce Internet'te çocuk pornografisine karsi bir kampanya baslattiklarini söyleyen Madrinan, herkesi kampanyaya destek vermeye çagirdi.

67 ülkeden çocuk haklari gruplarinin destek verdigi kampanya, Internet sektörünü çocuk pornografisini kontrol altina alacak ve engelleyecek çözümler üretmeye zorlamayi amaçliyor.

Çocuk haklari savunuculari, hükümetlerin de Internet'i çocuk pornografisinden temizleyecek düzenlemeleri ve magdur çocuklar için rehabilitasyon ve koruma çalismalari yapmalarini talep ediyor.

Madrinan, "Sektör yöneticileri virüslere, bilgi güvenligine harcadiklari çabanin aynisini giderek yayginlasan bu problemin çözümü için harcamalilar" dedi.

2001'de uluslararasi bir operasyon gerçeklestirildigini ve Bursa'da da çocuk pornografisi ticareti yapan bir kisinin yakalandigini hatirlatan Madrinan, "O adam su an serbest. Bu da yasal düzenleme yapilmasinin gerekliligini gösteriyor" dedi.

"Tarihin en büyük köle ticareti"

Çocuklarin ticari cinsel sömürüsünün çok büyük bir problem, fakat dogasi geregi gizli yürütülen faaliyetlerle ilgili rakam vermek zor. BM Çocuklara Yardim Fonu'ndan (UNICEF) Kul Guatam, 2003'te yaptigi bir açiklamada, sorunu "dünya tarihinin en büyük köle ticareti" diye betimledi.

Çocuk ve kadin ticareti konusunda bugüne kadar oldukça önemli yol kat edildigini söyleyen Madrinan, "Ne yazik ki ayni seyi çocuklarin cinsel sömürüsünün diger sekilleri için söylemek zor" dedi.

Insanlarin kendi çevrelerinde kabul edilmeyecek olan davranislari gerçeklestirmek için seyahat ettiklerini anlatan Madrinan, "Hükümetler seks turizmine karsi 'turizmimiz zedelenir' diye önlem almiyor. Turizm endüstrisi de kendi içinde bu konuyla ilgili kontrol mekanizmalari olusturmuyor" dedi.

Çocuk fuhusunun birçok çocuk üzerinde onarilamayacak travmalara yol açtigini anlatan Madrinan, "Bu sadece para karsiliginda olmuyor. Barinak, koruma, yiyecek karsiliginda da yetiskinler çocuklari sömürüyor. Olanlari anlatamayan çocuklar ömür boyu bu travmayla yasamaya çalisiyor" diye ekledi.

Ne yapmali?

Sorunun büyüklügü karsisinda yerel çalismalarin, tek tek kisilerin ya da kuruluslarin çabalarinin yetersiz kalacagini belirten Madrinan, "Birçok hükümet kurulusu, sivil toplum ve kisiler bir arada çalismali. Bu çalismalari koordine etmek, kaynaklari dagitmak ve planlama için yetki sahibi bir ulusal komite kurulmali" dedi.

Madrinan, yapilamasi gerekenleri dört baslik altinda topladi:

* Önleme çalismalari,

* Koruma ve isbirligi çalismalari,

* Rehabilitasyon ve topluma kazandirma faaliyetleri ve

* Çocuklarin katilimi.

Öncelikle ülke içinde sorunun boyutlarini ortaya koyan kapsamli bir arastirma yürütülmesini gereken Madrinan, kurulacak ulusal komitenin bu arastirmaya bakarak planlama yapacagini aksi takdirde karanlikta yol alinmis olacagini belirtti.

Diger ülkelerde ulusal komitelerin yaptigi çalismalardan örnekler veren Madrinan "Yasal reformlar, polisin, yargiçlarin egitimi, medyanin kullanimi, sosyal hizmetler uzmanlarinin egitilmesi... Bunlar öncelik sirasina düzülmeli ve esgüdümlü olarak yürütülmeli" dedi.

Madrinan, çocuklarin katiliminin da önemine dikkat çekti: "Egitim alan çocuklar deneyimlerini en iyi sekilde aktarabilir. Sorunun vahametini onlardan daha iyi kim bilebilir ki?".

Uluslararasi altyapi

Çocuklarin cinsel açidan sömürüsüne karsi temel ilkeler 1989'da Birlesmis Milletler Çocuk Haklari Sözlesmesi (ÇHS) ile olusturuldu.

ECPAT'in çabalariyla 1996'da toplanan çocuklarin cinsel sömürüsü üzerine birinci dünya kongresi ile hükümetler ve sivil toplum kuruluslarina rehberlik edecek Hareket için Stockholm Gündemi ortaya çikti.

2000'de olusturulan ve Türkiye'nin de 2002'de uygulamaya koydugu Çocuklarin Satilmasi, Çocuk Fahiseligi ve Pornografisi Üzerine ÇHS'ye Ek Protokol konuyu daha detayli olarak ele aldi. Son olarak Ermenistan'in imzaladigi Ek Protokol 88 ülkede yürürlükte.

Uluslararasi Çalisma Örgütü'nün (ILO) 1999'da olusturulan Kötü Sartlardaki Çocuk Isçiliginin Yasaklanmasi ve Ortadan Kaldirilmasina iliskin 182 numarali sözlesmesi de fuhus, çocuk ticareti ve çocuk pornografisini kapsiyor. 1999'da olusturulan sözlesmeyi Türkiye 2001'de yürürlüge koydu.

ECPAT

Su an 71 ülkede faaliyet gösteren ECPAT (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes-Çocuk Fahiseligine, Çocuk Pornografisine ve Çocuklarin Cinsel Amaçlarla Ticaretine Son) 1990'da Güney Asya'da seks turizmine karsi çalismalar yürütmek üzere kuruldu.

Çocuk haklari alaninda çalisan kurum ve kisilerin olusturdugu bir ag olan ECPAT, çocuklarin ticari cinsel sömürüsüne karsi faaliyet gösteren en önemli uluslararasi kurulus.(EÜ)

Internet sicura per i bambini lo chiedono 67 ong nel mondo
La Repubblica > scienza e tecnología (19/04/2005)

Italia: chi cerca pornografia infantile ha meno di 30 anni spesso un minorenne, con titolo di studio e conoscenza delle lingue
Gb, arresti aumentati del 6500% in 5 anni. Il fenomeno del peer to peer

di GIOVANNI GAGLIARDI

ROMA - "Rendere internet più sicura per i bambini". E' l'appello che le organizzazioni per la tutela dei diritti dei minori di 67 paesi nel mondo rivolgono alle principali società del settore informatico. Un invito che riguarda anche la comunicazione a mezzo di cellulari, di webcam, di giochi elettronici on e off line e coincide con il lancio della campagna globale "Make-IT-safe", promossa da Ecpat International, una rete internazionale di Ong con sede a Bangkok, e dalla Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (Coalizione di associazioni per l'infanzia per la sicurezza "in rete"), nel Regno Unito.

Obiettivi e cifre. La campagna si propone di spingere i responsabili dell'industria tecnologica a creare un sistema globale di protezione dei bambini dai pericoli della rete e a finanziare una campagna mondiale di informazione. L'urgenza di questa azione di "lobbying", rivolta alle industria tecnologiche e ai governi, emerge con forza da alcune cifre: prima di internet nel Regno Unito le condanne per pedopornografia avvenivano per una manciata di foto. Nel 2005, un uomo è stato trovato in possesso di un milione di immagini. Anche gli arresti per pornografia infantile erano abbastanza rari: 35 nel 1988. Nel 2001 finirono in manette 549 persone, un aumento del 1.500%. Alla fine del 2003, il tasso annuale di arresti era aumentato di quattro volte: oltre 2.000 casi, un aumento del 6.500% rispetto al 1988. Negli Usa l'FBI ha registrato un aumento del 2.050% fra il 1988 e 2001.

La pedopornografia. "E' difficile fare una valutazione esatta di quelle che sono le reali dimensioni del problema - dice il presidente di Ecpat Italia, Marco Scarpati -, al momento quello che abbiamo sono delle stime fatte da organismi delle Nazioni Unite e dalle varie polizie che controllano la rete telematica. Un sito quando viene scoperto raramente viene chiuso subito. La polizia lo controlla per capire quale è il suo giro di affari". Infatti una delle forme per fermare la pedopornografia deriva dal pagamento con carte di credito. Nel '99 la polizia americana ha trovato in un sito i nomi di 300.000 persone di 66 paesi che avevano comprato immagini di bambini usando le loro "card".

Il pedofilo. "Molti utenti di internet ritengono che internet sia anonima - spiega Scarpati - ma chi si muove in rete lascia sempre una traccia, perché ogni utente ha un numero identificativo. Grazie a questo siamo riusciti a tracciare un profilo dei fruitori in rete di pornografia infantile e le sorprese sono state grosse. La più rilevante è l'età. Sappiamo che il 70% dei fruitori di questo materiale ha meno di 30 anni".

La comunità. Crolla dunque, definitivamente, il luogo comune del vecchio sporcaccione: "Siamo di fronte a giovani o giovanissimi, spesso addirittura minorenni, - specifica il presidente di Ecpat Italia - con un titolo di studio medio alto e conoscenza delle lingue. Si tratta di persone che in internet trovano la forza per creare comunità. Uno dei problemi dei pedofili un tempo era di trovare una comunità di pari che gli desse coraggio di passare all'atto, cosa che ora viene superata perché la comunità si crea anche a chilometri di distanza".

Il mercato. Intanto le stime parlano di un mercato in forte aumento malgrado il grosso quantitativo di immagini disponibili. Un'indagine del servizio dogana degli Stati Uniti nel 2001 ha trovato 100.000 siti Internet relativi alla pornografia infantile. In generale si stima che il 25% dei siti pornografici contengano immagini di bambini. Immagini che per oltre il 50% provengono dalla Russia.

Guadagni. "Chi lavora in questo settore guadagna moltissimo - aggiunge ancora Marco Scarpati - il numero dei bambini fotografati continua ad essere alto e la polizia continua ad essere affaticata nella ricerca e nel reperimento dei minori: presso l'Europol c'è un sito che raccoglie le storie di questi bambini. Alcuni vengono fotografati mensilmente da quando sono in culla, ripresi durante rapporti sessuali "completi". Per far fronte a tutto questo è importante più che l'attività repressiva quella preventiva".

Un fenomeno nuovo. In termini economici bisogna ragionare sui grandi numeri: milioni di immagini e centinaia di miglia di filmati che possono costare anche centinaia di dollari. Ma c'è una nuova forma di scambio che si sta diffondendo: il peer to peer, lo stesso sistema che in rete si usa per scambiare la musica o i film. "Tutto avviene senza soldi, i filmati spesso sono fatti in casa e l'autore è riconoscibile. Un modo per avere una garanzia reciproca", dice ancora Scarpati che spiega come la nuova forma di scambio abbia raggiunto abbia raggiunto l'Italia dove ci sono "molte migliaia di fruitori. Negli ultimi anni sono state sequestrate decine di migliaia di foto e migliaia di filmati".

La Tailandia. Nel 2002 una indagine di Ecpat International ha rivelato che il 71% dei ragazzi tailandesi aveva visitato almeno una volta un sito web pornografico e il 45% lo faceva abitualmente. Il 43% dei bambini e il 63% dei ragazzi erano capitati per caso su siti che li hanno scossi a causa delle loro immagini. Il 95% dei ragazzi e la metà dei bambini ha usato e-mail, usano le chat il 69% dei ragazzi e quasi la metà dei bambini. Quasi tutti, circa il 92%, prima o poi sono stati invitati a parlare di sesso.

Consigli. "Occorre fare in modo che i figli non vengano mai lasciati soli di fronte ad internet - spiega Scarpati -. Internet e i nuovi mezzi di comunicazione presentano un'enorme quantità di vantaggi, ma il web è uno strumento che ha degli aspetti complessi. Bisogna sapere in ogni momento quali sono i siti frequentati (controllando la memoria del computer) e se il pc è frequentato da più persone occorre mettere dei programmi filtro. Ma specialmente - conclude il presidente di Ecpat Italia - è importante insegnare ai figli come si sta su internet, specialmente in chat dove ognuno, anche un adulto, può presentarsi come vuole".

INFANCIA: Amenaza en línea (19/04/2005)

BANGKOK, 19 abr (IPS) - Organizaciones internacionales de defensa de la infancia se lanzaron a presionar a las firmas tecnológicas para que hagan de la red Internet un lugar más seguro para los niños y niñas.

”Es un llamado urgente porque las imágenes de abuso acompañan a los niños por el resto de sus vidas”, dijo Carmen Melania Madrinan, directora ejecutiva de ECPAT International, una de las principales organizaciones de lucha contra la explotación sexual y comercial infantil.

Madrinan consideró que tales imágenes son ”infinitamente replicables” y ”viven para siempre”, por lo que causan grandes daños a los niños abusados.

”Si se involucran fotografías y videos, las víctimas encuentran difícil superar el trauma. De los millones de imágenes de abuso infantil que Interpol dice que circulan en línea, hasta ahora solo se ubicó a 297 de las víctimas”, dijo este lunes en conferencia de prensa en Bangkok.

ECPAT lanzó la campaña ”Make IT Safe” (juego de palabras en inglés que significa, en este caso, ”Hacer seguras las tecnologías de la información”) junto con la organización con sede en Londres Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety y otras de 67 países.

El sitio web de la campaña cuenta con una petición que puede ser firmada por los internautas, en que se solicita a las empresas de servicios de Internet y telecomunicaciones la aplicación de criterios básicos para proteger a la infancia de la pornografía y el abuso.

Hasta ahora, 157 organizaciones firmaron la petición.

Los responsables de empresas informáticas --proveedores de servicios de Internet, compañías telefónicas, de programación y fabricantes-- debe asegurar que sus ”bienes y servicios son seguros para niños y jóvenes de todo el mundo”, sostuvo Madrinan.

Los jóvenes constituyen el principal grupo de los usuarios de Internet. Más de 13 millones ”navegan” regularmente por la red, un tercio más que el año pasado.

Más de la mitad de los usuarios de Internet en Tailandia el año pasado tenían entre 15 y 24 años, y más de 10 por ciento entre seis y 14.

En Japón, uno de cada cuatro niños tienen teléfono celular, mientras 80 por ciento de los usuarios en África son jóvenes, en un continente donde las líneas móviles superan a las fijas.

”No hay duda de que estas tecnologías en línea e interactivos traen grandes beneficios, alientan la difusión de la información, la educación, la creación y el entretenimiento”, aclaró Madrinan.

Pero la activista advirtió sobre los peligros que involucra el uso ilegal y con frecuencia dañino de los intercambios de archivos que permiten las nuevas tecnologías.

Asia cuenta con el mayor contingente de usuarios de Internet, 300 millones. Pero entre los adultos hay una gran incomprensión sobre el funcionamiento de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación.

ECPAT detectó hace dos años en Tailandia que los padres no estaban al tanto de las actividades online de sus hijos. Niños y niñas que tuvieron experiencias en línea de carácter sexual tampoco hablaron con ellos o con sus educadores al respecto.

”Los jóvenes y niños con frecuencia buscan en Internet afecto y apoyo de desconocidos. Resultan atraídos a chat rooms (salas de conversación virtual) y, luego, son explotados”, dijo el representante de ECPAT Sangeer Shirodkar.

”Las industrias de las telecomunicaciones deben hacer más para que las chat rooms sean seguras, así como para bloquear las fotos, vídeos y mensajes ilegales”, agregó Shirodkar, al presentar la campaña el lunes en Bangkok.

”La industria debería responsabilizarse por la educación de los jóvenes acerca de los peligros de las salas de chat y de la circulación de detalles personales y fotografías a través de teléfonos celulares”, indicó.

En el lanzamiento de la campaña en Londres, el experto británico John Carr dijo: ”Los niños son usuarios constantes y a gran escala de Internet, aunque diariamente están expuestos a materiales dañinos en línea.”

”Continuamos leyendo sobre ejemplos trágicos de niños abusados por depredadores sexuales, en que Internet fue un factor clave en facilitar el contacto inicial que condjuo al abuso”, añadió.

Mientras, según Carr, la industria de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones hace oídos sordos al problema.

”Al considerar asuntos como la publicidad no deseada, los virus y otras amenazas, las empresas en línea mostraron una gran voluntad y capacidad de alcanzar soluciones comunes. Pero eso no sucedió en materia de protección infantil. Eso debería cambiar pronto”, sostuvo.

El XI Congreso sobre Prevención del Delito y Justicia Penal, en curso desde el lunes en Bangkok, no incluye en su orden del día ninguna discusión específica sobre los crímenes que tienen niños y niñas como víctimas. (FIN/2005)

Action urged on child porn - myPH Online - Philippines internet business, marketing and e-commerce (19/04/2005)

Child pornography on the internet is surging and threatens to expose millions to sexual abuse if the IT industry and governments do not take urgent measures, warns a global campaign launched this week. Children's organizations in 67 countries have joined together to launch the "make-IT-safe" campaign.

"It's a growing problem, and it's a global problem," said Carmen Madrinan, executive director of Bangkok-based ECPAT International, which helps monitor child protection issues for the United Nations. ECPAT, which is spearheading the initiative along with London-based Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety, "calls on the internet and hi-technology sectors to take responsibility that its goods and services are safe for children everywhere," Ms Madrinan said.

The campaign urges the information technology industry create a global child protection lobby, fund research of technological tools to combat sexual abuse, and support child protection campaigns in the world's major languages.

Web safety campaign to protect kids - Cooltech iafrica.com (19/04/2005)

AFP - Child pornography on the internet is surging and threatens to expose millions to sexual abuse if the IT industry and governments do not take urgent measures, a global campaign has warned.

Children's organisations in 67 countries have joined together to launch the "make-IT-safe" campaign.

"It's a growing problem, and it's a global problem," Carmen Madrinan, executive director of Bangkok-based ECPAT International, which helps monitor child protection issues for the United Nations.

ECPAT, which is spearheading the initiative along with London-based Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety (CHIS), "calls on the internet and hi-technology sectors to take responsibility that its goods and services are safe for children everywhere," Madrinan said.

The campaign demands the information technology industry create a global child protection lobby, fund research of technological tools to combat sexual abuse, and support child protection campaigns in the world's major languages.

Most nations, especially in the developing world, lack laws criminalising child pornography and do not have sufficient capacity among police to crack down on abuse, said Madrinan.

The internet has sparked enormous growth in child exploitation including through prostitution, sex tourism and trafficking, and by paedophiles using it to stalk children, the United Nations concluded last year at a Bangkok conference.

While some positive steps have been taken, including the shut-down of some chat rooms, CHIS spokesperson John Carr said online industries have come up short.

"When dealing with issues such as spam, viruses, phishing and other threats, the internet and online industries have shown a great willingness and a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and protocols," Carr said.

"This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change."

Advances in technology, including the ease of anonymously putting up and shutting down child pornography websites, is helping sex offenders stay one step ahead of authorities.

New digital cameras, webcams and cellphone cameras are also making it easier to record child abuse and distribute the images.

Key areas of concern are Belarus, Russia, the United States, and Asia, which leads the world in the number of people online with more than 300 million users, Madrinan said.

Information technology businesses can help protect children from online pedophiles by setting global industry standards, researching safety technologies and funding an education campaign, two children's rights groups said Monday.

``Children are constant and large scale users of the Internet, yet daily, across the world, they are being exposed to harmful or damaging materials online,'' John Carr, spokesman for the British-based Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety, said in a statement.

``We continue to read of tragic instances of children being abused by sexual predators where the Internet played a key part in facilitating the initial contact that led to the abuse.''
Children's Charities' and ECPAT International, a child rights nonprofit group based in Bangkok, Thailand, made the appeal as part of their ``Make-IT-safe campaign'' launched Monday. That also calls for governments to adopt information technology child protection policies, to work on international cooperation against online child abuse, and to provide care for abused children.

When handling threats such as spam and viruses, online industries have demonstrated ``a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and ... to agree (to) common, effective means of promoting them,'' Carr said. ``This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change.''

ECPAT International executive director Carmen Madrinan said that of the millions of images of child abuse that Interpol reports to be circulating online, only 297 of the children abused to make those images have been found.

``Parents, teachers, children's groups and governments all have their part to play,'' she said. ``But only the (information technology) industry can deliver the technological and financial resources to ensure the safety of children and young people online and in interactive technologies.''

Call for IT industry to fund war on child porn - Index on Censorship (19/04/2005)

Child pornography on the internet threatens to expose millions to sexual abuse if the IT industry and governments do not take urgent measures to stop it, warns an alliance of children's organisations in 67 countries.

The groups have collectively launched the "make-IT-safe" campaign, spearheaded by Bangkok-based ECPAT International, which helps monitor child protection issues for the UN and the London-based Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety (CHIS). ECPAT "calls on the internet and hi-technology sectors to take responsibility that its goods and services are safe for children everywhere," Carmen Madrinan, ECPAT executive director told AFP. The campaign wants the global IT industry to create a global child protection lobby, fund research of technological initiatives to deal with the issue, and support child protection campaigns in the world's major languages. CHIS spokesperson John Carr said the industry was failing to take the problem seriously. "When dealing with issues such as spam, viruses, phishing and other threats, the internet and online industries have shown a great willingness and a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and protocols," Carr said. "This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change."

IT firms urged to help protect kids online - Sydney Morning Herald-The Age Online Bangkok, Thailand (19/04/2005)

Information technology businesses can help protect children from online pedophiles by setting global industry standards, researching safety technologies and funding an education campaign, two children's rights groups said on Monday.

"Children are constant and large scale users of the internet, yet daily, across the world, they are being exposed to harmful or damaging materials online," John Carr, spokesman for the British-based Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety, said in a statement.

"We continue to read of tragic instances of children being abused by sexual predators where the internet played a key part in facilitating the initial contact that led to the abuse."

Children's Charities' and ECPAT International, a children's rights non-profit group based in Bangkok, made the appeal as part of their "Make-IT-safe campaign" launched on Monday. It also calls for governments to adopt information technology child protection policies, to work on international cooperation against online child abuse, and to provide care for abused children.

When handling threats such as spam and viruses, online industries have demonstrated "a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and ... to agree (to) common, effective means of promoting them," Carr said. "This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change."

ECPAT International executive director Carmen Madrinan said that of the millions of images of child abuse that Interpol reported to be circulating online, only 297 of the children abused to make those images had been found.

"Parents, teachers, children's groups and governments all have their part to play," she said. "But only the (information technology) industry can deliver the technological and financial resources to ensure the safety of children and young people online and in interactive technologies."

BANGKOK -- Child pornography on the Internet is surging and threatens to expose millions to sexual abuse if the IT industry and governments do not take urgent measures, warned a global campaign launched Monday.

Children's organizations in 67 countries have joined together to launch the "make-IT-safe" campaign.

"It's a growing problem, and it's a global problem," Carmen Madrinan, executive director of Bangkok-based ECPAT International, which helps monitor child protection issues for the United Nations.

ECPAT, which is spearheading the initiative along with London-based Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety (CHIS), "calls on the Internet and hi technology sectors to take responsibility that its goods and services are safe for children everywhere," Madrinan said.

The campaign demands the information technology industry create a global child protection lobby, fund research of technological tools to combat sexual abuse, and support child protection campaigns in the world's major languages.

Most nations, especially in the developing world, lack laws criminalizing child pornography and do not have sufficient capacity among police to crack down on abuse, said Madrinan.

The Internet has sparked enormous growth in child exploitation including through prostitution, sex tourism and trafficking, and by pedophiles using it to stalk children, the United Nations concluded last year at a Bangkok conference.

While some positive steps have been taken, including the shutdown of some chat rooms, CHIS spokesman John Carr said online industries have come up short.

"When dealing with issues such as spam, viruses, phishing and other threats, the Internet and online industries have shown a great willingness and a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and protocols," Carr said.

"This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change."

In the Philippines, a research center commissioned by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) to write a book on child pornography said local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were uncooperative.

"We were so frustrated with ISPs. They were uncooperative and they did not want to talk with us; not a single interview was granted," the Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Elizabeth Protacio-De Castro of the Center for Integrative and Development Studies of the University of the Philippines.

Advances in technology, including the ease of anonymously putting up and shutting down child pornography websites, is helping sex offenders stay one step ahead of authorities.
New digital cameras, webcams and mobile telephone cameras are also making it easier to record child abuse and distribute the images.

Key areas of concern are Belarus, Russia, the United States, and Asia, which leads the world in the number of people online with more than 300 million users, Madrinan said.

With a report from Inquirer News Service

Children's organisations around the world are urging technology companies to make the internet safer - BBC News UK Edition
(18/04/05)

The campaign calls on the computer and telecoms industries to protect children from pornography and possible abuse.

It wants to see minimum global standards, including the regulation of internet chat rooms and a ban on sending harmful pictures and videos.

The "Make IT safe" campaign involves charities from 67 countries, including a coalition of British organisations.

'Tragic instances'
Campaigners say the industry needs to protect children the same way it looks after other users of the internet.

They are asking for further research to make the internet safer, and for funding for a global education programme.

British internet safety expert John Carr said children are being exposed to damaging materials online.

"We continue to read of tragic instances of children being abused by sexual predators where the internet played a key part in facilitating the initial contact that led to the abuse," he said.

Mr Carr said the industry had shown "great willingness" to join forces against problems such as spam, viruses and phishing.
But he said: "This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change, and soon."

'Same responsibility'
The project was launched by End Child Pornography, a United Nations-supported group, and Child Prostitution and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Exploitation International (ECPAT), in Bangkok, Thailand.

ECPAT executive director Carmen Madrinan, said: "It's time for the IT industry to acknowledge that it shares the same responsibility for protecting children as all other members of the global community".

"Of the millions of images of child abuse that Interpol reports to be circulating online, for example, so far only 297 of the children abused to make these images have actually been located."

The campaign is backed by the UK-based Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety.

This group includes Barnardo's, Childline, the National Children's Bureau, the National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations, NCH, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the Children's Society.

"Of the millions of images of child abuse that Interpol reports to be circulating online...only 297 of the children abused to make these images have actually been located."

RIGHTS: Groups Come Together to Save Children From On-line Predators - IPS-Inter Press Service (18/04/2005)

BANGKOK, Apr 18 (IPS) - Children's organisations are disturbed that an increasing number of children are being sexually abused on-line. For that reason they have come together to call on technology companies to make the Internet a safer place for kids.

''It's an urgent call because the images of abuse will accompany children for the rest of their lives,” said Carmen Melania Madrinan, the executive director of ECPAT International. ECPAT stands for End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Exploitation.

Madrinan stressed that these images are ''infinitely replicable” and ”live forever”, causing much distress to the abused children.

''If photography and videoing is involved, because of its permanence in terms of images and videos, victims find it very hard to come to terms with their trauma. Of the millions of images of child abuse that Interpol reports to be circulating online, for example, so far only 297 of the children abused to make these images have actually been located,'' she told a press conference on Monday.

At the press conference, ECPAT launched the global 'Make IT Safe' campaign together with the London-based Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety and children's groups from 67 countries. The 'Make IT Safe' website has an online petition, which urges those who surf in to sign the call to computer and telecoms industries to set minimum global standards to protect children from pornography and possible abuse.

So far, about 157 organisations have already signed the petition.

ECPAT believes that those in the IT industry, from Internet service providers, mobile phone companies, software companies, to manufacturers of interactive technologies, have the responsibility to ensure that their ''goods and services are safe for children and young people everywhere'' noted Madrinan.

Young people represent the largest group of Internet users globally, with more than 13 million regularly surfing the Internet, a one-third increase compared to the year before.

In an IT industry survey done in Thailand last year, more than half of the Internet users were young Thais between the age of 15 and 24 and more than 10 percent were between the ages of six and 14.

In Japan, every one in four children has a mobile phone, while in Africa mobile phone lines outnumber the subscription of fixed lines with more than 80 percent of users being young Africans.

''There's no doubt that these online and interactive technologies will bring great benefits, enhancing the spread of information, education, creation and leisure entertainment,'' said Madrinan.

But she warned that there is also a dangerous side to this -- one that involves illegal and often harmful exchanges made convenient by modern technology.

With more than 300 million users, Asia has the largest number of the world's online users. Nonetheless, there is a low-level of understanding about the medium among adults.

In a survey done two years ago in Thailand, ECPAT said parents were not aware of their children's online activities and children who had sexual experiences online did not speak to parents or teachers about their situation.

''Young people and children in need or in distress often look to the Internet to find affection and support from unknown people,'' ECPAT International's Asia youth representative Sangeet Shirodkar said in a statement. ''A number of children are getting attracted to these chat rooms and later land up being exploited.''

Added Shirodkar: ''IT industries must do much more to make the chat rooms safe and to block the transmission of illegal photos, videos and messages.''

''The industry should also take responsibility for educating young people about the dangers of chat rooms and of circulating personal details and photos via cell phones.''

At the London launch of the 'Make IT Safe' campaign, British internet safety expert John Carr said: ''Children are constant and large-scale users of the internet, yet daily across the world they are being exposed to harmful or damaging materials online.''

''We continue to read of tragic instances of children being abused by sexual predators where the Internet played a key part in facilitating the initial contact that led to the abuse,'' added Carr.

He also hit out at the IT industry for turning a blind eye to children using the Internet.

''When dealing with issues such as spam, viruses and other threats, the Internet and online industries have shown a great willingness and a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and protocols and to agree common, effective means of promoting them,'' he said. ''This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change, and soon.''

To ECPAT's disappointment, the current U.N. Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice that started in Bangkok on Monday does not include in its main proceedings any specific section to address crimes against children.

''This is especially notable as the U.N. secretary general has acknowledged the need to address growing threats to children and called himself a global U.N. study on violence against children which would be presented in 2006,'' said Madrinan. (END/2005)

Detská organizace chce vetší bezpecnost internetu pro deti
Tiscali (ISP) (18/04/2005)

BRUSEL 18. dubna (CTK) - Svetová detská organizace zamerená na potírání všech forem zneužívání detí vyhlásila dnes kampan za dosažení minimálních globálních standardu na ochranu detí pred nebezpecím, jež hrozí z nekontrolovaného prístupu k internetovým stránkám propagujícím pornografii nebo násilí. Kampan nazvaná Make IT safe žádá napríklad regulaci diskusních klubu a zákaz vyvešování škodlivých obrázku a videoklipu.

Do cela kampane, ke které se pripojilo 67 charitativních organizací sveta, se postavila skupina Konec detské prostituci, detské pornografii a obchodování s detmi pro sexuální úcely (End Child Pornography, Child Prostitution and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes, ECPAT), která má status pozorovatele u Organizace spojených národu.

Podle projektu musí internetový prumysl chránit deti ve stejné míre, v jaké se stará o bezpecí a pohodlí jiných zákazníku, když bojuje se záplavou nevyžádané e-mailové pošty nebo s pocítacovými viry. "Tohle se proste na poli ochrany detí nestalo a zmena by mela prijít co nejdríve," citovala stanice BBC britského odborníka na internetovou bezpecnost Johna Carra.

"Je nacase, aby prumysl informacních technologií priznal, že se musí podílet na ochrane detí stejne jako u jiných uživatelu svetové síte," rekla výkonná reditelka ECPAT Carmen Madrinanová.

Po zajištení ochrany detí pred prístupem ke škodlivým materiálum nebo pred lákáním pomocí diskusních klubu volají ruzné organizace prakticky od vzniku celosvetové pocítacové síte. Odborníci nabízejí rodicum filtrovací programy, takzvané detské pojistky, které prosívají prístup k nekterým serverum.

Poskytovatelé internetu namítají, že nemohou kontrolovat obrovský provoz na síti, vetšinou však spolupracují, pokud se vyskytne kriminální problém.

Ministri informatiky clenských státu Evropské unie se loni dohodli, že vetší bezpecnost internetu podporí v príštích ctyrech letech desítkami milionu eur. Pro program Safer Internet Plus tehdy doporucili 45 milionu eur.

Ceská republika byla v palbe kritiky zejména sousedního Nemecka, že pripouští bujení detské prostituce v pohranicí. Ministerstvo vnitra v reakci na obvinení nemeckého tisku zduraznila, že i když z hlediska poctu prípadu není tato trestná cinnost významná, musí ji úrady venovat i nadále na všech úrovních zvýšenou pozornost.

IT business asked to protect children online Xinhua Online @ www.chinaview.cn (18/04/2005)

BANGKOK, April 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Leading internet and high technology companies should take their responsibility for ensuring childrens' safety online, children's organizations from 67 countries made the call on Monday in Bangkok.

"Children ...... are being exposed to harmful or damaging materials online," said John Carr, UK internet safety expert and spokesman for the UK-based Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS).

"We continue to read of tragic instances of children being abused by sexual predators where the internet played a key part infacilitating the initial contact that led to the abuse," said Carr.

Carr made the comment while a worldwide campaign for internet safety led by CHIS and other children's organization from 67 countries was launched in Bangkok on Monday.

The newly-launched campaign named Make-It-Safe is therefore aimed at lobbying IT leaders to create a global child protection body to set and implement worldwide industry standards, research safety technologies and fund a global educational campaign.

"Only the IT industry can deliver the technological and financial resources to ensure the safety of children and young people online and in interactive technologies," said Carmen Madrinan, executive director of a global child-rights NGO named ECPAT.

Though some IT companies are concerned to ensure their technologies are safe for children, but it's not nearly enough, according to Madrinan.

"Of the millions of images of child abuse that Interpol reportsto be circulating online, for example, so far only 297 of the children abused to make these images have actually been located," said Madrinan. Enditem

Children’s Organisations across the World Call for Action on Internet Safety (18/04/2005)

London/Bangkok – April 18, 2005 – Today children’s organizations in 67 countries are uniting to call on the world’s leading Internet and high tech companies to take responsibility for ensuring children’s safety online.

The call comes at the launch of the worldwide make-IT-safe campaign led by ECPAT International, a global child-rights NGO based in Bangkok, Thailand, and the UK-based Children’s Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS).

The make-IT-safe campaign will lobby IT leaders to create a global child protection body to set and implement worldwide industry standards, research safety technologies, and fund a global educational campaign.

The campaign will also urge governments to adopt IT child protection policies to ensure industry responsibility, to enable international legal co-operation against online child abuse, and to provide care and protection for children abused or exposed to harmful images and messages online.

CHIS spokesman and UK Internet safety expert John Carr says the IT industry must do much more to protect children and young people using its technologies.

“Children are constant and large scale users of the Internet yet daily, across the world, they are being exposed to harmful or damaging materials online and we continue to read of tragic instances of children being abused by sexual predators where the Internet played a key part in facilitating the initial contact that led to the abuse.

“When dealing with issues such as spam, viruses, phishing and other threats, the internet and online industries have shown a great willingness and a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and protocols, and to agree common, effective means of promoting them. This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change. And soon.”

ECPAT International executive director Carmen Madriñán says it’s time for the IT industry to acknowledge that it shares the same responsibility for protecting children as all other members of the global community.

“Parents, teachers, children’s groups and governments all have their part to play. But only the IT industry can deliver the technological and financial resources to ensure the safety of children and young people online and in interactive technologies.”

Ms Madriñán says some IT companies are concerned to ensure their technologies are safe for children, but it’s not nearly enough. The proof is seen daily in the courts, the news and in thousands of harmed children.

“Of the millions of images of child abuse that Interpol reports to be circulating online, for example, so far only 297 of the children abused to make these images have actually been located.

“Now it’s time for concerned IT companies to take the lead and ensure effective, global standards to make IT safe for all children and young people.”

ECPAT New Zealand Director, Alan Bell endorses the international campaign.

“New Zealand’s Government has made some good moves in strengthening the legislation regarding the sexual exploitation of children and this is to be commended. This includes offences related to possessing and/or distributing child sex abuse images on the internet and the grooming of children for sexual exploitation. However, we believe more can be done if there was to be a concerted international effort of which New Zealand could be part. Many of the objectionable images viewed by New Zealanders originate in other parts of the world and are distributed internationally. These images are of real children that are subjected to totally unacceptable behaviour. This has to be stopped regardless of whether these children actually live in New Zealand or not. ”

The make-IT-safe campaign is supported by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography. It is also backed by the Subgroup against Sexual Exploitation of Children of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The make-IT-safe campaign is running a global online petition and lobbying IT leaders and governments around the world. Industry and government responses will be monitored and publicized on the campaign website.

Notes to editors:
ECPAT and CHIS will be publishing the responses to their call to action on a specially designed web site. See http://www.make-it-safe.net

ECPAT - End Child Pornography, Child Prostitution and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Exploitation, is an integral part of the UN’s monitoring of child protection issues around the world. ECPAT chairs the special Subgroup against Sexual Exploitation of Children of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child. ECPAT has 73 groups in 67 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania. See www.ecpat.net

Members of the Children’s Charities Coalition for Internet Safety (CHIS) include all of the UK’s largest child welfare and child protection NGOs: Barnardos, Childline, National Children’s Bureau, National Council of Voluntary Child Care Organisations, NCH: The Children’s Charity, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and The Children’s Society. See www.nch.org.uk/chis

The Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography has just delivered a report to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on child pornography and the Internet. See www.ohchr.org/english/issues/children/rapporteur/annual05.htm

The traditional way for the Internet industry to resolve technical or other issues which cut across the interests of individual firms is to form industry working groups or working parties to hammer out a standard to which they can all subscribe, and which can be incorporated into their own products. This ensures inter-operability and consistency and can create a platform on which other products and services can be built.

Internet safety campaign launched to protect children, stem abuse - Middle East Times (18/04/2005)

Child pornography on the Internet is surging and threatens to expose millions to sexual abuse if the IT industry and governments do not take urgent measures, warned a global campaign launched on Monday.

Children's organizations in 67 countries have joined together to launch the "make-IT-safe" campaign.

"It's a growing problem and it's a global problem," said Carmen Madrinan, executive director of Bangkok-based ECPAT International, which helps monitor child protection issues for the United Nations.

ECPAT, which is spearheading the initiative along with London-based Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety (CHIS), "calls on the Internet and high technology sectors to take responsibility that its goods and services are safe for children everywhere", Madrinan said.

The campaign demands that the information technology industry create a global child protection lobby, fund research of technological tools to combat sexual abuse and support child protection campaigns in the world's major languages.

Most nations, especially in the developing world, lack laws criminalizing child pornography and do not have sufficient capacity among police to crack down on abuse, said Madrinan.

The Internet has sparked enormous growth in child exploitation including through prostitution, sex tourism and trafficking, and by pedophiles using it to stalk children, the United Nations concluded last year at a Bangkok conference.

While some positive steps have been taken, including the shutdown of some chat rooms, CHIS spokesman John Carr said that online industries have come up short.

"When dealing with issues such as spam, viruses, phishing and other threats, the Internet and online industries have shown a great willingness and a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and protocols," Carr said.

"This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change."

Advances in technology, including the ease of anonymously putting up and shutting down child pornography Websites, is helping sex offenders stay one step ahead of authorities.

New digital cameras, webcams and mobile telephone cameras are also making it easier to record child abuse and distribute the images.

Key areas of concern are Belarus, Russia, the United States and Asia, which leads the world in the number of people online with more than 300 million users, Madrinan said.

Copyright © 2005 News World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Internet safety campaign launched to protect children, stem abuse - Manager Online (18/04/2005)

BANGKOK (AFP) - Child pornography on the Internet is surging and threatens to expose millions to sexual abuse if the IT industry and governments do not take urgent measures, warned a global campaign launched Monday.

Children's organisations in 67 countries have joined together to launch the "make-IT-safe" campaign.

"It's a growing problem, and it's a global problem," Carmen Madrinan, executive director of Bangkok-based ECPAT International, which helps monitor child protection issues for the United Nations.

ECPAT, which is spearheading the initiative along with London-based Children's Charities Coalition for Internet Safety (CHIS), "calls on the Internet and hi technology sectors to take responsibility that its goods and services are safe for children everywhere," Madrinan said.

The campaign demands the information technology industry create a global child protection lobby, fund research of technological tools to combat sexual abuse, and support child protection campaigns in the world's major languages.

Most nations, especially in the developing world, lack laws criminalising child pornography and do not have sufficient capacity among police to crack down on abuse, said Madrinan.

The Internet has sparked enormous growth in child exploitation including through prostitution, sex tourism and trafficking, and by paedophiles using it to stalk children, the United Nations concluded last year at a Bangkok conference.

While some positive steps have been taken, including the shut-down of some chat rooms, CHIS spokesman John Carr said online industries have come up short.

"When dealing with issues such as spam, viruses, phishing and other threats, the Internet and online industries have shown a great willingness and a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards and protocols," Carr said.

"This has simply not happened in the field of child protection. This must change."

Advances in technology, including the ease of anonymously putting up and shutting down child pornography websites, is helping sex offenders stay one step ahead of authorities.

New digital cameras, webcams and mobile telephone cameras are also making it easier to record child abuse and distribute the images.

Key areas of concern are Belarus, Russia, the United States, and Asia, which leads the world in the number of people online with more than 300 million users, Madrinan said.

IT industry told to 'cough up' by child campaigners
The Register – Biting the hand that feeds IT (18/04/2005)

The IT industry should do more to protect kids online, according to campaigners, who believe that tech companies should spend dosh to create a global child protection organisation and use their expertise to regulate chat rooms and block the transmission of offensive images.

Tighter regulation and increased education make up just part of a rack of proposals following the launch of the global "make-IT-safe" campaign. Thailand-based child-rights group ECPAT International and the UK's Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS) reckon that while the IT industry has done stacks to crack down on online fraud and spam, it has failed to invest the same amount of time and resource in combating child abuse.

ECPAT International executive director Carmen Madrinan said it's time for the IT industry to acknowledge that it shares the same responsibility for protecting children as all other members of the global community.

"Parents, teachers, children's groups and governments all have their part to play. But only the IT industry can deliver the technological and financial resources to ensure the safety of children and young people online and in interactive technologies.

"It's time for concerned IT companies to take the lead and ensure effective, global standards to make IT safe for all children and young people," said Madrinan.

Another ECPAT spokesperson, Sangeet Shirodkar chipped in: "Young people and children in need or in distress often look to the Internet to find affection and support from unknown people. A number of children are getting attracted to these chat rooms and later land up being exploited. IT industries should regulate the chat rooms and the transmission of harmful pictures and video should be banned."

No one from the UK's internet trade group - ISPA - was available for comment at the time of writing. However, in a statement it said: "The UK Internet industry continues to run an effective, self-regulatory 'notice and takedown' procedure. This means that when an ISP is made aware of illegal material by organisations such as the Internet Watch Foundation or law enforcement agencies, they remove it."

Internetkampagne gegen Kinderpornographie gestartet - Neue Luzerner Zeitung - Zentralschweiz Online (18/04/2005)

BANGKOK - Kinderhilfsorganisationen aus 67 Ländern haben eine gemeinsame Kampagne gegen Internet-Kinderpornographie gestartet. Die Aktion "make-IT-safe" und ihre Internetseite wurden in Bangkok und London vorgestellt.

Wenn Regierungen und Unternehmen nicht umgehend Massnahmen ergreifen würden, würden bald Millionen von Kindern sexuellem Missbrauch ausgesetzt sein, warnten die Organisatoren.

Viele Staaten, vor allem die Entwicklungsländer, hätten nur unzureichende Gesetze gegen Kinderpornographie, sagte die Leiterin der Kinderschutzorganisation ECPAT, Carmen Madrinan. Aus Geldmangel sei die Polizei teilweise gar nicht in der Lage, gegen Internet-Straftaten vorzugehen.

Die Organisatoren der Kampagne forderten die Unternehmen auf, gegen Kinderpornographie im Internet vorzugehen. Wenn es um Spam oder Internet-Viren gehe, habe die Industrie ihre Fähigkeit zum gemeinsamen Handeln bewiesen, sagte ein Sprecher der Organisation Kinderhilfe für Internet-Sicherheit (CHIS).

Das gelte aber nicht für den Kinderschutz. Neue Digitalkameras, Webcams und die Kameras in Mobilfunkgeräten machten es leicht, Kindesmissbrauch zu fotografieren und zu versenden. Besonders verbreitet sei diese Praxis in Weissrussland, Russland, den USA und Asien.

Rights groups in Thailand call for high-tech businesses to ensure children's safety online (18/04/2005)

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Information technology businesses can
help protect children from online pedophiles by setting global industry standards, researching safety technologies and funding an education campaign, two children's rights groups said Monday.

"Children are constant and large scale users of the Internet, yet daily, across the world, they are being exposed to harmful or damaging materials online," John Carr, spokesman for the British-based Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety, said in a statement.

"We continue to read of tragic instances of children being abused by sexual predators where the Internet played a key part in facilitating the initial contact that led to the abuse."

Children's Charities' and ECPAT International, a child rights nonprofit group based in Bangkok, Thailand, made the appeal as part of their "Make-IT-safe campaign" launched Monday.
That also calls for governments to adopt information technology child protection policies, to work on international cooperation against online child abuse, and to provide care for abused children.

“When handling threats such as spam and viruses, online industries are demonstrated "a great ability to come together to develop common technical standards