Gov't seeks ad agency for child internet safety drive
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The Government is seeking a communications and advertising agency to create a high-profile campaign to drive awareness of child internet safety.
The pitch will be led by the Department of Children, Schools and Families, headed by Ed Balls, and follows the publication of the Byron Review last month, which called for the protection of children against harmful and inappropriate material on the internet and video games.
A DCSF spokesman says: "The internet is an established part of growing upand offers unprecedented opportunities to learn, develop and have fun. Of course, with new opportunities come potential risks, so it is important that children, young people and their families can navigate technologies safely."
He adds that the department is "committed" to taking the Byron Review's recommendations forward, which included a public information and awareness campaign focusing on child internet.
The report called "Safer Children in a Digital World", written by Dr Tanya Byron, set out a plan for the Government, industry andfamilies to work together to keep children safe online and to reduce access to adult video games.
Byron, who was asked by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown last year to lead the review, also recommended the creation of anew UK Council for Child Internet Safety, established by and reporting to the Prime Minister, as well as better regulation of online advertising.
It also challenged the industry to develop codes on user-generated content to help support families.
