Internet Watch Foundation

 

Mirago, Pipex, Freedom2Surf, Giganews, Telehouse Europe and Secure Computing Corp (owners of N2H2 and Smartfilter) have all joined since our last meeting. Giganews, a US news server company, have agreed to remove all the IWF newsgroups that we monitor to all their UK clients.

I’ve had a meeting with Detica and they have indicated their intention to join. I have also had a meeting with Secure Computing (owners of N2H2) and we await their decision.

 

Our new website should be up and running sometime week commencing 4^th October in soft launch mode so any feedback to help us to iron out any glitches would be appreciated.

 

All the main search engine companies meet under the auspices of the Task Force to discuss best practices between themselves. Significant progress has been made and completion of the work is anticipated by the end of 2004.

 

This initiative known to our members as the CAI service has taken on a life of its own as we continue to improve our service to members and deal with enquiries from many quarters. We have attended meetings with representatives from many of the main UK ISPs to discuss the viability of the initiative from their own point of view.

 

Fay is making progress on drafting a strategy document for future consideration.

 

We continue to hold briefing days for new members and for new personnel taking up posts within the existing membership commensurate with their roles and functions relative to IWF affairs.

 

 

We hosted a visit of a senior representative of the IIAB to discuss our strategic aims and operational policies.

In 2003 the Home Secretary established this group. Part of their role was to ensure the effective and timely implementation of the Sex Offences Act 2003 and then to monitor the impact of the Act’s provisions following implementation.

The purpose of the group is far broader than implementing the legislation and is focussed on promoting and co-ordinating a wide range of cross-government action to tackle sexual offending, and provide appropriate support for the victims of sexual crimes.

The IWF have been invited to address this group of senior government representatives on the work of the IWF on 14^th October 2004.

Those expected to be in attendance will be:

Baroness Scotland (HO) (Chair)

Paul Goggins (Deputy Chair - HO)

Harriet Harman (Solicitor General)

Margaret Hodge  (DfES)

Jacqui Smith (DTI)

Chris Leslie (DCA)

Lord Rooker (ODPM)

Rosie Winterton (DoH)

Jane Kennedy (DWP)

 

We are in discussion with the Faith Unit at the Home Office to polish our understanding of the law on these subjects and to develop partnerships on race and religious matters that impact on our remit.

This event was rescheduled from 16^th – 19^th July to 22^nd – 25^th October 2004 at the NEC Birmingham. We were advised that the show organisers were looking to hand the event over to another agent as it had grown too big for them to manage, but despite requests from us to them for an update with no responses we have assumed the event is a non starter.

 

We were due to have a display in a prominent position in what is known as a parliamentary corridor event, but because of nuances in the parliamentary calendar the week we were allocated is not a period when many MPs and Peers will be in attendance. This has now been postponed to February 2005.

 

Police Commander David Armond (Met Police) and Professor David Wall (Leeds University) undertook an all day inspection and review of our operational procedures and appeals and reinstatement policies on behalf of the Home Office. 

 

I participated as witness before a commission scenario on the topic of internet regulation hosted by Nick Ross. A two hour twenty minute exercise was edited down to a forty minute programme.

 

Peter Robbins

Chief Executive