CEO briefing
CEO Briefing – IWF Board – October 2005
National Internet Safety Centre (final name still undecided)
Progress on the creation of this centre is picking up a pace. I am a member of the project Board and Frank Glen is a member on one of the work streams.
The role and remit of the Centre is still under negotiation but there doesn’t appear to be much variance from the original thinking that it will:-
- focus on UK victims, essentially child abuse victims and potential and actual offenders operating within the UK, so for example they will deal with groomers and suspects who they believe are downloading child abuse content. They will also absorb the work of Serious Sex Offenders Unit and link up with multi-agency public protection panels in Britain to identify high risk offenders;
- be law enforcement led and will operate within the Central Government sector and will be largely funded (around 80%) from Government, with 20% of their funding being drawn from the private sector;
- operate tip line for the public to report suspicious on behaviour. Discussions are taking place to avoid confusing the public about the differences between the Centre and the IWF hotline;
- deliver its functions in partnership with the wider public and private sectors. The Centre will be built around a multi-agency approach to tackling online child abuse with staff being drawn in from the national police forces, the wider public sector, NGOs and industry;
- not duplicate any of the work or role of the IWF. Reports of illegal content will continue to be handled by the IWF;
- have no role in respect of criminally obscene or incitement to racial hatred content.
New Members
We are pleased to welcome four new members namely Home Choice, UK Broadband, InTY, and Bridge Broadband.
Potential Funders
Arrangements are in hand to either meet the following companies or where meetings have taken place then negotiations on membership are in progress:-
186K, Cauldwell (Owners of Phones4U and Homecall Broadband), Hotchilli, Siemens, Supanet, Kodak, Vital-Group, Efhbroadband, ISS (Software),Parbin (t/a Metronet), Bluecoat (Software), Cityspace (Wi-fi access), Nominet, Fotango, Onyx, Photobox, and Sophos.
Safer Internet Action Plan 2006/7
The overall budget assigned to the next SIAP project is €45 million with €9.2 million allocated for hotlines/INHOPE. We are optimistic that we will secure a new contract but there is no certainty as to whether the EU will at least match the £320K contract that we currently have.
Payment mechanisms for PPV websites
The most popular form of making e payments has shifted to e-gold. e-gold is an electronic currency that is integrated into an account based payment system that enables people to use gold as money. Their website is at http://www.e-gold.com/ Discussions are underway between the Home Office, APACS, NCS, ourselves and others with the intention of approaching the e gold management to make them aware of the current trend.
SearchSafe Initiative
A final draft has been lodged with the Home Office for final scrutiny and publication.
Adult content available to minors.
This issue is still being debated by the Home Office, Police and CPS. However if they do decide that adult content depicted on websites open to minors to see and hosted in the UK then we will need to discuss with the authorities as to how the matter should be managed. There may be an implication for us in our role as a notice and takedown body.
Russian developments
Following an event we hosted in November 2004 to discuss the apparent growth of child abuse content being distributed from Russia, a meeting has since taken place involving the DTI, Home Office, Foreign Office, ISPA and the IWF. Government officials are now considering how best to progress some of the ideas put forward.
Discovery Engine Project
This initiative, wholly funded by the Home Office is now up and running. An advisory group consisting of Kevin McNulty (Home Office), David Wall (Leeds University), Detective Sergeant Paul Griffiths (POLIT) and Nathan Wood (Ask Jeeves) have agreed to assist and advise in the development of this project.
RMS2 (replacement database)
Last financial year we were unable to commit resources to a replacement database project because of other competing demands but this has been now been corrected with the award of a contract to Green Cathedral. This project will be completed this financial year within the allocated budget.
Peter Robbins
11.10.05
Page Created: Thu, November 17th, 2005
Page Modified: Thu, November 17th, 2005
