The ISPAs - the UK Internet industry awards - are unique as they are awarded to people and organisations in the industry by their peers and reflect the broad nature of the service provider sector.

 

The Internet Services Providers' Association (ISPA UK) has been organising the UK Internet Industry Awards since 1999 to herald the best of the Internet industry and to celebrate innovation and best practice. In 2002 the awards were dubbed The ISPAs.

 

Nominations for this year's  IWF ISPA Award for 'Developments in Online Safety' can be any scheme or initiative in the UK which has significantly contributed towards the progress of online safety in 2004.

 

These organisations can be commercial, not-for-profit, charities, an educational or academic institution or a public sector agency.

 

It could be the creation of a new forum or working group, a project, a noteworthy event, the development of a new tool or service, a piece of groundbreaking research and so on.

 

Whilst the nominations are not restricted to online safety in respect of illegal content, consideration to this part of the IWF remit makes the award even more meaningful.

 

From the nominations, the IWF Board will shortlist 5 and from those 5 select an overall winner.

 

Below is the shortlist for the 2005 Award:

 

 

Focused on raising awareness of the sexual abuse of children and young people through the internet and mobile phone technology.

Has had significant impact in “publicity and awareness terms”.

Just One Click was the first UK wide conference and report dedicated to the needs of children who are victims of abuse via new technology and events have been held in the UK and Scotland.

 

 

Recommendations from Children’s Charities Coalition for Internet Safety regarding strategic policy development to industry and Government regarding child safety online.

 

CHIS is NCH - Barnardos - Childline - The Children's Society - National Children's Bureau - NCVCCO - NSPCC

 

 

British Telecom Child Abuse Image initiative ‘Cleanfeed’

In June 2004 BT launched their URL blocking initiative which was designed and implemented to block websites confirmed to contain illegal child abuse images.

 

BT did this by using the IWF URL database, a list assessed and clarified by IWF specially trained Internet Content Analysts. The initiative prevents accidental or deliberate exposure and access to illegal images of children for BT retail customers in the UK.

 

 

                                    

Mobile Operators ‘Code of Practice’ for dealing with new types of internet content available via their services. Intended to protect consumers.

Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone and 3

 

Internet content governed by this new ‘Code of Practice’ with include visual content, online gambling, mobile gaming, chat rooms and Internet access. It does not cover traditional premium rate voice or premium rate SMS (texting) services.

 

Issues covered in the Code of Practice include: Commercial content, appointment of an independent classification body to provide a framework for classifying commercial content that is unsuitable for customers under the age of 18.  Each mobile operator will place commercial content classified as 18 behind access controls and only make it available to those customers that it has satisfied itself, through a process of age verification, are 18 or over. The mobile operator will also place behind access controls all commercial content chat rooms, unless they are moderated chat rooms.

 

Mobile operators will therefore offer parents and carers the opportunity to apply a filter to the mobile operator’s Internet access service so that the Internet content thus accessible is restricted. The filter will be set at a level that is intended to filter out content approximately equivalent to commercial content with a classification of 18. 

Mobile operators will work with law enforcement agencies to deal with the reporting of content that may break the criminal law. Where a mobile operator is hosting content, including web or messaging content, it will put in place notify and take-down provisions.

Mobile operators will continue to take action against unsolicited bulk communications (i.e. spam), including text messages, picture messages and e-mails.

New forms of content may give rise to additional sources of malicious communications. The mobile operators will continue to deal vigorously with such matters, adapting existing procedures as appropriate.

Mobile operators will provide advice to customers - including children, parents and carers - on the nature and use of new mobile devices and services and support other relevant media literacy activities designed to improve the knowledge of consumers. Information on the Code will be available on the web site of each mobile operator.

 

For the IWF Press Release and full Code, please click here

 

 

 

 

Vodafone Content Control

Content Control is the world’s first mobile application of a barring and filtering mechanism which prevents access to age restricted content including  gambling, erotica and violent games over the Internet. Content Control also restricts access to un-moderated chat sites to protect minors from inappropriate contact.  

 

It is now the default option and is in place for Vodafone’s 14 million customers in the UK.   For those who want to access age restricted content, a once-only registration process providing proof of age lifts the bar.

 

Content Control works by using powerful filtering tools to check WAP or web sites against a database of one billion URLs that are divided into 52 categories. If the URL is unlisted, a contextual based analysis is launched which spiders through10 pages at a time.   If the site is then categorised as age-restricted, Content Control bars access to unregistered users.  Customers receive a “Restricted Access” notice on their phone.  This explains why they are barred and provides information about how to register and remove Content Control.   

 

Content Control also blocks access to illegal content to all customers using the Internet Watch Foundation black list.  This is unique in the mobile industry

 

Media coverage talks about “dangers” of the new generation of mobile phones, so Content Control gives customers the confidence to buy and use new technologies, knowing that they can choose whether or not to access adult content via either 2.5G or 3G. 

 

Vodafone continues to maintain awareness of Content Control and associated issues through engagement with children’s charities, roundtable discussions with journalists and the publication of a booklet “Staying in Touch: A Parent’s Guide to Mobile Phones” developed with the National Family and Parenting Institute.

 

Content providers support the initiative, “Vodafone’s Content Control represents a mature response to genuine concerns about children accessing inappropriate content.”  (Mobile Choice, September 2004)

 

Vodafone responded to extensive research showing that 49% of all mobile owners think receiving age restricted content is acceptable, however, 79% of them think it is important to protect minors from accessing it and  “expect Vodafone to pull out all the stops”

 

 

 

 

This ISPA Awards will be held in London on 24th February 2005.