Safer Internet Forum 2007

In order to assess whether to propose a follow-up programme running from 2009 to 2013, the European Commission organised a Safer Internet Forum (SIF) meeting in 2007 which was composed of a plenary session and three workshops on:
  • Online-related sexual abuse of children.
  • Awareness raising.
  • The impact and consequences of convergence of online technologies.
Relevant issues were discussed over two days with various stakeholders, such as researchers, policy makers, law enforcement authorities and child welfare organisations. 

Further information on the workshops follows:

  • Safer Internet Forum - Workshop 1 - Report: Being subjected to sexual abuse is perhaps one of the most serious consequences for children of the development of different online technologies. This workshop aimed to identify relevant issues relating to sexual abuse of children associated with use of online technologies, in particular grooming, and appropriate ways of dealing with them. The discussions also touched upon issues concerning the production and online distribution of child abuse material.
  • Safer internet Forum - Workshop 2 - Report: Awareness raising has been one of the most important actions within the Safer Internet Programme. These activities have been targeted towards parents, carers, teachers and children themselves. However, measuring the effects and identifying the most effective methods can be difficult tasks. The objective of this workshop was to discuss the role of awareness raising in creating a safer online environment for children, as well as identifying relevant target groups and effective strategies, identify effective methods of raising awareness and discussions on how to measure the efficiency of awareness raising. Finally, the workshop aimed to analyse of the role of education and media in empowering children to be safe in the online environment.
  • Safer Internet Forum - Workshop 3 - Report: In the next 5-10 years, the technologies, communication networks, media, content, services and devices will increasingly undergo digital convergence. Devices and platforms are already ‘talking to one another', content is becoming available in new, diverse formats and can increasingly be delivered independent of location or time, and personalised to individual citizens' preferences or requirements. Improvements in networks, faster broadband, combined with new compression techniques, create new and faster distribution channels and trigger new content formats and services as well as new forms of communication. This workshop looked at the possible new/enhanced risks for children following technological developments; it aimed to identify the challenges and reflect on strategies to meet them.