Government is beginning its Click Clever, Click Safe campaign (From The Northern Echo)

Government is beginning its Click Clever, Click Safe campaign

8:56am Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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AN internet safety drive launched following the death of a North-East teenager is to begin today.

To coincide with Safer Internet Day today, the Government is beginning its Click Clever, Click Safe campaign to help keep youngsters safe online.

The safety promotion was set up in the wake of a campaign by The Northern Echo following the death of 17- year-old Ashleigh Hall, from Darlington.

Ashleigh, a childcare student at Darlington College, died in October last year after arranging to meet someone she had made contact with on a social networking website.

In response, The Northern Echo set up the Safety Net campaign, which called for e-safety lessons to be a compulsory part of the school curriculum.

The campaign was backed by Ashleigh’s family.

In December, schools secretary Ed Balls announced that every child over five would have lessons in how to stay safe online.

As he launched the Click Clever, Click Safe campaign, which features the Zip It, Block It, Flag It code, Mr Balls spoke of the need for parents to take an active interest in what their children are doing on the internet.

A survey has revealed that more than a quarter of young people say that their parents never speak to them about how they are spending their time online.

Mr Balls said: “I know that many parents are not confident or feel they lack the knowledge to talk to their children about the internet.

“Many parents are still not talking to their children about how to use the internet safely or using parental controls.

“In the offline world, most parents feel confident to set boundaries and have discussions with their children. In the online world, they often struggle to discuss safety on the internet.”

The Zip It, Block It, Flag It code will feature on radio, press and poster advertising and will use specially created characters to highlight how risky behaviour online can have consequences for young people.

In addition, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) is leading a number of initiatives as part of the Safer Internet Day.

They include new resources aimed at reaching children under five, including a cartoon, Lee and Kim; a clickCEOP browser on Internet Explorer 8, which will direct users to internet safety advice and 39,000 volunteers, who will deliver internet safety advice in schools.

■ Homeless Peter Chapman 33, has denied the murder, rape and kidnapping of Ashleigh.

He also denied failing to register a change of address as required by the Sexual Offences Act. He is due to stand trial at Teesside Crown Court in March.