jus and bits

As part of Safer Internet Day 2009, yesterday, February 10, 2009, was held in Luxembourg the official ceremony for signing the document on the safety for children on social netwok. The official text can be downloaded by clicking DL 193/2009 (source Senate) (89)

The event was also attended by European Commissioner Viviane Reding.

Before signing Rachel O 'Connell (Bebo), representing the signatory companies, outlined the principles and preparatory work.

This event deserves more widespread attention from the media and the internet itself. The industry stressed that it was deliberately chosen a 'self, just so you created an initial commitment - not legally binding - but that was the starting point of increasing mutual cooperation on matters as delicate and interesting This child safety. In fact, the result obtained, which is embodied in shared principles across industries, states as an important reference point for a constructive dialogue. Moreover, the sharing of a common document highlights how companies are well aware of the risks for users inside the same social networking platforms. The network solutions already knew "pseudo-regulations" such as "netiquette" (principles of conduct which users must follow, a sort of good manners on the network), however, the signing of this document has shown how necessary that these providers assume - on their part - the responsibility to help secure the virtual environment frequented by e-cityzens.

This document is the result of a substantial development by a European task force convened by the European Commission in May 2008. The task force comprises 17 members from industry and representatives of civil society, including NGOs. Italy is represented by the Associations and ADICONSUM Children Italy Save yourself collaborating very actively in the project Safer Internet Plus

It is superfluous to state that were months of intense work for the task force that worked on multiple documents. Indeed, the principle has undergone a very dense paper on which were expressed large reserves, given the objectives to be pursued. For these reasons, the first document was replaced with a text based on an approach very close to a regulatory scheme for structured items. After the appropriate comments and insights (has worked especially taking advantage of the valuable resource of the Internet by sharing the comments via a group) has proposed a completely new and different text structured targets. Immediately were raised many concerns, especially by NGOs representing civil society, primarily the introduction of    principle of shared responsibility among all stakeholders (parents, children, governments, providers, civil society, police, etc..) and the absence of references to issues of privacy. Therefore, we moved to a new text that has been substantially distorted, because the setting is changed in principle and were met several instances envisaged mainly from NGOs in the exclusive interest of children as users of social networks. The document is approved, then, consists of seven general principles.

Italy has actively cooperated by sending a few comments aimed at ensuring greater protection of children and the standards, recommendations and existing standards especially at Community level.

Following the ceremony, the signatories have been immortalized for posterity

Further aspects are set by the European Commission's institution, which, however, played an important role as facilitator without interfering in specific ways. But what matters most is that social network providers should make a self to the Commission to indicate how they have fulfilled the commitment made with the signing of the Principles. This self-declaration must be sent to the Commission by April 2009. The self-declaration will be made public later. The Commission will consider a year's commitment by social network providers.