Web safety initiative set up for UK schools

An influential group of IT security professionals has launched an education programme for UK pupils that will see security experts visiting schools to teach internet safety.

The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC) has started the initiative with charity Childnet International.

Internet safety presentations will be delivered by volunteers from the IT security industry. The programme, aimed at 11- to 13-year-olds, will begin in the UK in November and extend across Europe during 2007.

John Colley, co-chairman of the ISC European Advisory Board, hopes the scheme will benefit children and businesses.

‘If you start educating children early on how to use the internet responsibly and how to secure their systems, it means there will be fewer problems down the line,’ he said.

During the sessions, volunteers will identify positive things pupils can achieve using the internet, and discuss strategies to avoid potential risks.

Colley says the scheme is also about developing an ethical mindset for young web users.

‘We want to get people young and explain what positive internet behaviour is, and explain that normal social ethical behaviour applies to the internet as well,’ he said.

‘Kids are now a lot more IT literate than their parents, so we are trying to push IT security up the agenda to match that.’

Nicola Sanders, education and schools manager for Childnet, says there is no substitute for face-to-face teaching and learning. ‘This alliance harnesses the knowledge, experience, and motivation of the senior information security specialists,’ she said.

John O’Brien, public sector analyst at Ovum, said: ‘This initiative sits well with objectives that the government is pushing forward in terms of e-strategy. It is trying to invest in giving pupils more access to the internet at home as well as school.’

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