The international music industry is endorsing the latest phase of an Internet safety campaign devised to help educate parents and teachers on supporting children’s safe activities in the online world.
Child welfare charity Childnet is behind the project, launched Wednesday, which sees pocket-sized guides distributed online and through schools, colleges, libraries, record stores and teaching portals in 21 countries.
The multi-language booklet, “Young People, Music and the Internet,” offers advise on how young people can use the Internet and mobile phones to safely and legally download music.
The campaign is backed by Pro-music, the international music sector initiative promoting legitimate music online, and approved by the European Commission.
The new guide, comments Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for information society and media, “will not only help in the fight against illegal content on the Internet, but should help to spark off those vital conversations between parents, teachers and young people that are so essential for promoting responsible behaviour on the Internet.”
A raft of industry organizations have added their respective voices in support, including representatives from the IFPI, Impala, U.K. trade association ERA, and Britain’s Musicians’ Union, as has Irish pop singer Ronan Keating. “I am a father of three young kids who are all very interested in music and computers, they are forever asking to use the computer to download their favourite songs,” says the Boyzone singer in a statement.
He adds, “There is a constant worry about the security of the Internet with children. This new guide helps adults and children to use the Internet safely and securely. The Internet is a fantastic tool for us all to enjoy.”
It’s the next wave of a global initiative launched in June 2005 by Childnet, which saw the first version of the guide requested by “tens of thousands” of parents, schools, youth groups, libraries and local councils worldwide, according to the IFPI.
The guide is available online at www.pro-music.org and www.childnet.com/music.
