Voluntary code won't protect children online [waterford-today.ie]
- Published: 24 March 2010
EU guidelines designed to protect children online will not work unless they are made mandatory, an Irish MEP said this week. Speaking in Brussels, Pat 'the Cope' Gallagher said only 20 companies so far have signed up to the Safer Internet Programme introduced across Europe last year.
Google, Bebo, Facebook and MySpace are among the major sites who have agreed to implement the voluntary code of practice, but Mr Gallagher said even these major sites could do more. 'Of those that have signed up, just 40 per cent have agreed to make profiles of under-18s visible only to their friends by default. And, only one out of three of the firms involved in the programme replied to user reports asking for help,' he said.
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