Susie Hargreaves is the CEO at the Internet Watch Foundation, established in 1996 by the internet industry to provide the UK internet Hotline for the public and IT professionals to report criminal online content in a secure and confidential way.
Susie explains why they are supporting the Friendly WiFi scheme.
Why does your organisation support the work of ‘Friendly WiFi’?
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has been proud to help shape the standard for ‘Friendly WiFi’. It’s important to us that all providers of public Wi-Fi minimise their customers’ exposure to child sexual abuse imagery online. The ‘Friendly WiFi’ mark should act as a beacon of reassurance for internet users that Wi-Fi offered in public places meets minimum agreed standards. These standards include filtering the Internet Watch Foundation’s list of child sexual abuse images and videos and we are proud to have helped participate in the ‘Friendly WiFi’ scheme.
Why is it important that parents and children recognise the ‘Friendly WiFi’ logo when out and about?
The internet is a massively positive tool and a great service to provide customers when they’re out and about. We hope that the ‘Friendly WiFi’ mark will equip anyone who wants to use public Wi-Fi with the knowledge that they are protected from some of the most horrendous imagery found on the internet.
Please describe what your organisation does and how people can find out more.
The IWF is the UK Hotline for anyone to report their inadvertent exposure to child sexual abuse imagery, criminally obscene adult content and non-photographic child sexual abuse imagery. Report anonymously and confidentially to www.iwf.org.uk.
Many high street names have become Friendly WiFi accredited including Tesco and Starbucks. These WiFi venues can be identified by the Friendly WiFi logo. The logo will reassure consumers that the most worrying internet content for children, including pornography, will have been placed behind filters.
More information can be found at the Friendly WiFi website.
