Speeches and Statements

Virtual Playground speech

Speech by Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, to CEOP and other stakeholders on 6 December 2007.

Good morning everyone. Thank you, Alex, for your kind words of introduction.  As the Minister responsible for child protection, I am very pleased to have been asked to give the keynote speech for this conference. 

I would like to thank CEOP and all of the agencies here today for the work that you do to safeguard children.  As the use of the internet grows, it is important that we in Government ensure that safeguarding is carried on into that medium, and I fully recognise the work you do to deliver this.  

As the Christmas season approaches, many children will be looking forward to receiving the latest gadget or device.   These will bring considerable joy to the recipients, but we need to remember that as well as providing them with access to entertainment and learning, they also bring with them the possibility of harm.   Christmas is not a time when many people give much thought to the safety of their children on the internet, but it is the time when many children are provided with the means to go online for the first time, and therefore it is vital that there is somewhere for parents to go that will give them the information that they need to ensure that their children use the internet responsibly.

I am therefore very pleased to be able to launch the CEOP Christmas campaign, which will provide information to parents on how they can help keep their children safe online through regular e-mails.    The campaign will provide parents with information about the key risk areas, explaining how children are using the internet, and giving them tips on how to keep their children safe online.  The messages will concentrate on common sense safety tips, such as not giving out personal information, as well as providing information on the nature of the current online environment.       I would like to encourage all parents who wish to have safety information to go to the Think U Know website and register to receive these messages. 

The Christmas campaign builds on the “Purely for Parents” programme that was launched by CEOP earlier this year.  A number of organisations have agreed to encourage their staff to visit the Think U Know site, through links in their intranet and internal e-mail systems.  This is an excellent initiative, and I would like to encourage other groups to consider highlighting the Think U Know site on their systems. 

Today’s technology is increasingly sophisticated, and offers our children great opportunities for learning and fun.  However, technology is off-putting for many, and the work of CEOP and of other agencies here to develop parental understanding of the dangers and the means to avoid them is vital.     

Finally, I would like to thank you all for the work that you do to develop this information for parents and children.   Please spread the word that these resources are now available for all parents and carers, and help us to help our children stay safe.

Thank you very much.