eSafety - Byron Review
Safer Children in a Digital World – Full Report
Safer Children in a Digital World – Executive Summary
Safer Children in a Digital World – A Summary for Children and Young People
Byron Review Press Notice
Byron Review Children and New Technology
Since being asked by the Prime Minister in September 2007 to lead an independent
review, Dr Byron has engaged in a rigorous process and has been widely complimented
for setting new standards in engagement with the public and industry on such an
important debate. As a result of these efforts, Dr Byron has been able to set out
a detailed analysis of the evidence of the risks and benefits of new technologies,
examine this evidence against child and brain development theory and research and
provide a comprehensive evaluation of the work already being done to protect children
when online or playing video games.
Dr Byron concludes that while new technologies bring incredible opportunities to
children and young people, parent’s general lack of confidence and awareness is
leaving children vulnerable to risks within their digital worlds.
Many parents seem to believe that when their child is online it is similar to them
watching television – Dr Byron is keen to emphasise that in fact it is more like
opening the front door and letting your child go outside to play, unsupervised.
Digital world risks are similar to real world risks but can be enhanced by the anonymity
and ubiquity that the online space brings.
In order to improve children’s on-line safety, Dr Byron makes a number of ground
breaking recommendations including:
- The creation of a new UK Council for Child Internet Safety, established by and reporting
to the Prime Minister, and including representation from across Government, industry,
children’s charities and other key stakeholders including children, young people
and parent panels.
- Challenging industry to take greater responsibility in supporting families through:
establishing transparent and independently monitored codes of practice on areas
such as user generated content; improving access to parental control software and
safe search features; and better regulation of online advertising.
- Kick starting a comprehensive public information and awareness campaign on child
internet safety across Government and industry, and which includes an authoritative
‘one stop shop’ on child internet safety.
- Setting in place sustainable education and children’s service initiatives to improve
the skills of children and their parents around esafety.
On video games, Dr Byron recommends a range of high profile and targeted efforts
to help inform parents what games are right for their children, such as:
- Reforming the classification system for rating video games with one set of symbols
on the front of all boxes which are the same as those for film.
- Lowering the statutory requirement to classify video games to 12+, so that it is
the same as film classification and easier for parents to understand.
- Clear and consistent guidance for industry on how games should be advertised.
- Challenging industry to provide sustained and high profile efforts to increase parents
understanding of age ratings and improved parental controls.
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