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Chatroom danger prompts new code

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Children are being told not to give out their personal details online

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LONDON, England -- Internet chat room operators should provide children with virtual panic buttons to help protect them from online pedophiles, the UK government says.

The recommendation is part of a campaign intended to help minimize the risks faced by children using the Web.

The guidelines advise Internet content and service providers which offer chat rooms, instant messaging and other web-based services, how to provide a better and safer service.

The code recommends chat room operators should provide both virtual panic buttons and prominent safety messages on their sites.

Home Office minister Hilary Benn said: "The Internet has opened up a new world for children which is educational, informative and, most of all fun.

"But we are aware of the potential for pedophile to misuse modern technology to abuse the trust that children place in them by attempting to 'groom' them through chat rooms.

"We want to encourage parents to help children protect themselves so they can surf safely."

Outlining the pitfalls

The Web site www.thinkuknow.co.uk outlines the type of pitfalls surfers should avoid and what action to take if something happens which makes them uncomfortable.

Surfers are advised to change passwords frequently, not to give out personal details and to never meet up with someone met online without the presence of an adult.

The month-long advertising campaign is the second phase of the Government's "Safer Surfing" initiative, which was launched last year.

It also follows proposals in the government's "Protecting the Public" paper which called for a new offence of "sexual grooming" and a civil order to protect youngsters from inappropriate sexual behavior by adults.

Other Net safety measures

Recommendations have been drawn up by the Home Office Taskforce on Child Protection on the Internet, which includes representatives from the government, the UK Internet industry, child welfare organizations and the police.

Nicholas Lansman, secretary general of the Internet Services Providers' Association (ISPA UK) said the group was committed to making the UK the safest place for children to go online.

"The adverts are a valued contribution to our members' ongoing work to educate parents and children on safer, educational and fun surfing," he said.

Recent measures to make the Internet safer include new software filters and the setting up of a hotline by the Internet Watch Foundation to report child pornography or other illegal material.

The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 and the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 have also tightened up the penalties for taking, making and distributing indecent photographs and pseudo-photographs of children.

Police and customs now have increased powers to investigate the importation of child pornography.



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