SAFER USE OF THE INTERNET (14933/06, 14937/06)
Letter from the Chairman to Rt Hon Margaret
Hodge MP, Minister of State for Industry and the Regions, Department
of Trade and Industry
Sub-Committee B considered these documents,
and your Explanatory Memorandum, at its meeting of 29 January
2007.
As we noted in our recent inquiry into the Commission's
proposed Audiovisual Media Services Directive, the protection
of minors from harmful and illegal content online has a continued
and growing importance. As a consequence we share your support
for these schemes. We are aware of the excellent results achieved
in the UK by the Internet Watch Foundation and share your support
of the extension of such self- and co-regulated schemes at a European
level.
We are however concerned at the poor level of
awareness of the hotlines and "awareness nodes" detected
by these evaluations; given the fundamental importance awareness
holds. We would be grateful if you could indicate to us which
specific educational initiatives the Government will recommend
to the Commission.
We are content to lift scrutiny at this stage.
2 February 2007
| 
