Internet Watch Foundation

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

 

IWF Staff: Peter Robbins, Brian Wegg, Rachel Hopper

 

Apologies: Chris Atkinson, Camille de Stempel, Hamish MacLeod

Amanda Jordan opened the meeting, noted the apologies and expressed the Board’s thanks to Nick Truman for arranging the excellent location for the day’s events.  Amanda welcomed Rachel Hopper to the IWF staff as Member Relations Co-coordinator and introduced Board members.

The minutes of the board meeting on Tuesday 2 May 2006 were agreed as a true record of the meeting subject to the addition of the following words in item 4:

Board minutes would be published on the web site subject to the removal of matters deemed confidential.

 

Under action 3, Board members were given a brief up date on progress with the review of the Funding Council constitution.  All other actions were either completed or on the main agenda.

There were no other matters arising.

Board members reviewed the governance feedback from Julia Unwin and noted some the issues highlighted.  Following further discussion it was agreed that feedback to industry should be made via a letter to the Chair of Funding Council and this should be at a later stage following a meeting with Julia and an agreement on the next stages of the review.

It was agreed that the Board Executive Committee would take matters forward through an additional meeting.

ACTION 1:  Secretariat to arrange an additional Board Exec meeting and circulate a copy of Julia’s slides to Board members. 

The background to the proposed changes was outlined and Board members unanimously supported the revised policy.

6             CAI URL List – current issues

Peter explained that the paper was designed to highlight some outstanding matters as the CAI list became more widely used.  He asked Board members to note that that IWF will need to take a view on transparency and to develop a policy on publicising the use of the CAI list.  Some of the difficulties with VISPs and how they apply the list were noted.  Board agreed to return to this matter at a future meeting with a view to adopting a policy on transparency.    

 

Peter highlighted the need to carry out validation, verification and testing on the use and compliance by member companies using the list.  Board asked Peter to prepare a paper which set out the proposed validation process, options for carrying it out, and the implications and costs.

ACTION 2: Peter to bring an options paper to Board

 

b.                 Financial exception summary April & May 2006

Board noted the above reports.

 

8          Chair’s report – verbal update

Chair gave a verbal feedback on the events she had attended on behalf of the IWF.

a. CEO’s briefing paper

Peter introduced his paper and highlighted some of the issues.

Peter stressed the continuing difficulties with reports on racial incitement and the lack of a police contact to deal with these matters.  Peter would take the matter up with the Home Office Minister during his visit to the IWF offices.  Chair expressed Board’s concern that this situation still persisted and the problems which might escalate if this continued.  Board will continue to review the situation.     

Peter asked Board members to note that the government would be publishing their proposals on criminalising the possession of extreme pornography shortly and there remained a number of unresolved matters.  In particular, definitions and thresholds for the test of legality and whether there will be a defence to possession.  Both of these could significantly affect the impact of the legislation and the resulting workload.

A letter was tabled which had just been received from the Home Office Minister asking us to play a role in receiving and processing reports resulting from the proposed legislation.

Following further discussions, Board agreed that a holding reply would be sent which seeks clarity on the definitions of what content will be illegal and what defence to possession will be proposed.  The letter to the Minister will also explain that we will need to consult with our stakeholders on the matter.

 

 

Board noted the above reports.

 

Board noted the press cuttings and considered that they should form part of the success indicators for the communications strategy.

Board noted the evaluation report and felt that last year had seen some well targeted and successful communications campaigns.

Peter explained the background to the paper and asked Board to note that at Funding Council the previous week, some industry members had expressed concern that all the additional income above forecast was being spent on communications and that they did not support some of the events and campaigns outlined in the paper.  Board noted that the proposals were in support of part three of our current remit and reiterated their support for the additional investment in communications.  Following further discussion Board concluded that the proposals should target the lack of public knowledge about IWF and should include success indicators and objectives. 

Board noted that Funding Council had concluded with a request for all company representatives to discuss the IWF communications strategy and 10 year anniversary proposals with their PR/communications departments and to consider how they may be able to assist.  Follow up Contact to be made with either Sarah or Peter. 

Chair expressed concern that some industry members felt unable to fully support the proposals and offered to either chair any working group of PR professionals on the matter or speak to Funding Council about the plans. 

Board agreed that without full industry support their decision to invest £200,000 on communications in 2006/7 would continue in principle.

Board members were invited to feedback any comments on the proposals to Sarah or Peter.

Board supported the proposals contained within the paper and asked that expenditure be re-scheduled to ensure that events could be appropriately timed.

Board noted that the next meeting will be in Oakington and Sonia Livingstone explained that the date clashed with important events at LSE and she may need to offer apologies or depart early.  There was no further business.

13            Board dates for 2006 - The following dates for future Board meetings were noted:

Tuesday 3.10.06 at the IWF, Oakington

Tuesday 5.12.06 at the SMART Company, London

The meeting closed at 4.30 pm