E-Safety and Online RiskDr Shirley Atkinson

15th December 2010

BCS Sociotechnical Specialist Group

Tonight Consider the online world

Consider our view of risk

Outline current world of e-safety

Research at University of Plymouth

Discuss what we feel about internet safety

Do you remember a time without the Internet?

1992

2001

2010

205,368,103

A young person’s world?

Being online Are we just talking about the Internet?

How many phones have you had?

Can somebody tell me about their first one?

How is it different to the one you have now?

Who has a gaming console?

What is it?

Do you go online with it?

Capabilities increased

http://metrics.admob.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/May-2010-AdMob-Mobile-Metrics-Highlights.pdf

Location based services Fully integrated into iPhone and others

Services based on where you are

Originally sold as tracking for children On the back of Soham Ethical issue there

Useful when somewhere new

Needs careful handling

Google/Skyhook

Facebook http://mattmckeon.com/facebook-privacy/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/7521035/Facebook-what-social-networking-site-is-blamed-for-amid-syphilis-claims.html

Are there any dangers in going online?

How likely will thesehappen to you?

Consider each of the risks mentioned. Rate them:1 = very likely to happen to you2 = Could happen3 = very unlikely

Risk Perceptions Media concern focuses heavily on extreme but rare cases

The abduction of children Dangers of online stalking and grooming But it sells their stories

Byron will often ask “What about our own childhood”? Where did we play? What was our favourite place?

Makes the point children no longer allowed outside to play So turn to unsupervised online activities

Getting the balance right But we have a duty to get the balance right

If people think that risk is unbounded, then technology cannot provide them with opportunities, fear becomes a barrier

Or, in the case of some young people: Dismissing safety advice as irrelevant! Putting themselves into further danger

through their actions

Parental attitudes Block it

Deny or restrict access

Monitor it

Control Cyberspace!

Key media e-safety messages

Chance to evaluate a selection of stories from this year!What is key message?

Does it fit with your risk model?What does it say about the risk model of the editor/author?

What do you think?

E-Safety initiatives over time 2008

Initiatives heavily based on risk-laden examples CEOP concentrated on predation

Promoted use of the report abuse button to parents Internet safety tips based on premise of “stranger-danger”

School policies concentrated on blocking and filtering

2009 Byron influence felt More of a focus on Cyberbullying Encouraging use of peer education

CEOP International Youth Panel SWGfL youth panel

Key E-Safety initiatives this year EU Kids Online & EU Kids Online II

Common risks = communicating with new people not met face to face, seeing potential harmful user generated content

Much rarer for children to meet a new online contact offline or be bullied online

CEOP Protect Volunteer

Beat Bullying Cybermentor

University of Plymouth Research Close links with SWGfL

Next year become Safer Internet Centre Part of EU network

Peer Education

Sexting

Community understanding

Passwords

Online Gaming

What are your thoughts?Where should we be going with e-safety

Thank you