Stormont debates e-safety forum and calls for schools to teach online safety

Debating Internet Safety Forum and Internet service provider self regulation of adult content @niassembly
— Chris Lyttle MLA (@Chris_Lyttle) February 10, 2014

On February 10 2014 the Northern Ireland Assembly proposed a motion to endorse and support Safer Internet Day 2014 which falls on February 11 and is celebrated worldwide. The motion said:

"Whilst [the internet] poses significant dangers to children and young people, used properly the internet can also positively affect social, economic and educational advancement; acknowledges that all users have a part to play in making the internet a safer and better place for everybody."

The motion made for two interesting recommendations:

1. Calls upon Her Majesty’s Government to encourage a cross-cutting approach to online safety by incorporating it into the school curriculum, by affording parents and carers easy access to sufficient information to take necessary action. 
2. [Encourage] businesses and industry to self-regulate their web-based content and services.

On the Monday evening the Members also discussed the January 22 2014 recommendation from The National Children's Bureau that Northern Ireland create an online e-safety forum and that organisations should improve collaboration to combat the threat. We covered the report and recommendations here.


UPDATE

Members endorsed and have given their support to the motion. Read the debate in full here.