Internet Watch Foundation

Present: Amanda Jordan (Chair), Michele Elliott, Nick Truman, Camille de Stempel, Sonia Livingstone, Ian Walden, Tink Palmer, Jim Reynolds, Hamish MacLeod

 

IWF Staff: Peter Robbins, Sarah Robertson

 

Apologies: Chris Atkinson

Amanda Jordan opened the meeting and expressed the Boards thanks to Mark Gracey for his work as one of the industry Board members over the last two years and welcomed Camille as his replacement.

The minutes of the board meeting on Thursday 9 February 2006 were agreed as a true record.

 

Board reported that its non-industry members have elected Ian Walden as Vice-Chair. As Mark Gracey had been the Industry Vice-Chair, industry board members agreed to elect a replacement and will notify the Board of their decision in due course.

ACTION: Industry board members to elect new Vice-Chair.

 

There was no decision on the Government’s position with regard to extreme pornography although a progress update was given and the possibility of the IWF being invited to adopt any new legislation was discussed.

ACTION: Board will be informed of any developments

Hamish, representing the Funding Council working group considering member subscription levels, reported as follows: a standardisation of subscription levels is desirable in light of current demands regarding the CAI Database License and with the mergers and acquisitions that were evident at the moment, however it is felt that subscription matters are not a priority; Council will address this issue after the constitution of Funding Council had been finalised.

The Chair asked that the Working Group’s findings be reported at the next Board meeting.

ACTION: This review will be completed within two months as it is a priority and the resulting suggestions will be discussed at the Board Away Day on 11^th July 2006.

It was agreed that whilst Board meeting minutes would be published on the website subject to the removal of matters deemed confidential, it was not necessary to publish supporting papers.

 

 

The new member agreement setting out IWF services and providing a formalised contract was reviewed. It was noted that detailed legal specifics had been omitted in favour of brevity. The importance of including the Code of Practice was noted and it was agreed that the Code of Practice is central and necessarily dynamic and responsive and, as such, should be reviewed more regularly. It was suggested that a glossary was included.

ACTION: Glossary to be added to the agreement 

a)                      Terms of reference

It was agreed that a high level Board governance review was necessary as it had been three years since the last such review.

 

After consultation - Terms of reference as follows:

1.      The role of the Board and particularly the role of the Directors with regard to their Trustee obligations intertwined with the function of a self or co-regulatory body

2.      The monitoring and implementation of the agreed Code of Practice for IWF members

3.      The relationship between the charity (IWF) and IW Ltd trading activities

4.      The relationship between the Board and Funding Council

 

b)             Process

It was agreed that the review should be undertaken externally by an independent expert. It was also suggested that that any interim findings would be considered at the Away Day in July. Chair suggested three independent candidates for the role, recommending her preference as Julia Unwin OBE. Board agreed with the recommendation and agreed a provisional budget for the work.

ACTIONS: CV, together with details of Julia’s brief and work plan to be circulated.

a)                             The members list by category was noted

b)                             The financial exception summary and provisional out-turn 2005/6 – information item was noted 

c)                             The profit and loss account was noted

d)                             The balance sheet was noted

e)                             Addendum to approved budget 2006/7 was agreed

f)                               The proposed cost of living pay award for staff was agreed at the recommended level

 

Concern was raised as to long-term sustainability of IWF communications work in light of short-term funding arrangements. It was suggested that more long-term plans were included in the budget, if possible. Board also requested a bi-annual report on communications activities.

ACTION: Report to be made to Board twice a year and to request ideas for long-term awareness work.

 

The Chair outlined her recent meetings and events attended. Board noted offers of support and help from Ofcom.

 

The CEO advised Board on the following issues:

The plan to appoint a Relationship Coordinator, the implementation of a new CRM system, the inclusion of a charity micro site within the IWF website to allow donations by credit card, meetings he’d had with Alun Michael MP (DTI) and Paul Goggins MP (Home Office), Greg Hands MP (Cons), Judy Mallaber MP (Lab) and Annette Brooke MP (Lib/Dem). He reported on a meeting he’d attended with representatives from the US Congressional Committee on Energy and Commerce when they visited the UK, and he commented on recent press releases by ICMEC and NCMEC. Details of activities to recruit new members were given as was developments on the possibility of creating a centralised European and International CAI URL database and moves afoot to explain the UK initiative on blocking access to child abuse websites to EU Member States.

 

Further discussion took place on the Government’s position with regard to extreme pornography and there was clarification of the terms involved.

 

10               Hotline Operational report was noted 

11               Russian hosted child abuse content report was noted

12               US hosted child abuse content report was noted

13               Discovery Engine Final report was noted 

14                                                                    News cuttings service was noted and it was agreed that the service was useful and should be continued. Concern was raised around terms used by media in reporting issues about child abuse images.

ACTION: Additions to be made to IWF Boiler Plate and press releases detailing reasons why the term ‘Child Porn’ should be avoided.

ACTION: Company to be engaged to provide press clippings and broadcast/online summary service.

A Board ‘Away Day’ will be held at the BT Tower and the Board and Funding Council will be invited to attend presentations in the morning.

 

          a) Raising Industry Standards Consultation Paper

          b) IWF response

Board noted Nominet’s consultation paper and the IWF’s response.

 

It was agreed that the Chair of Funding Council should be invited to join the Board as a guest on 5^th December 2006

The following dates for future Board meetings were noted:

Away Day - Tuesday 11.07.06 (all day) at the BT Tower

Tuesday 3.10.06 at the IWF, Oakington

Tuesday 5.12.06 at the SMART Company, London