The Byron Review

The Prime Minister asked Dr Tanya Byron to carry out an assessment of video games and the Internet, and how they might affect children and young people. The review asked how Government, businesses and families can work together to ensure children and young people can stay safe when using these new technologies. The Report was published in March 2008. Find out more about progress of the Review here. Naace provided responses to the Byron Review into the risks to children from inappropriate material on the Internet and in video games and also to e-safety aspects of the DCSF consultation on Staying Safe. Visit DCSF e-consultations for the consultation documentation and calls for evidence.

Ian Lynch offered the following summary of views as the basis for discussion emerging from the Naace Social Networking Conference ion November 2007.

1. There is still tension between the perceived educational benefits of social networking and issues of child protection.
2. Banning technologies is still common if there is a perceived risk and this can simply put the child at further risk by displacing the issue to outside the school.
3. These tensions make government policies and e-strategies more difficult to implement and give schools a reason not to implement them.
4. There is quite a wide range of practice but not much in the way of documented exemplars eg using video. The gulf between best and weakest practice is huge
5. Even adults need to be taught etiquette and about social communication using mailing lists and forums where there are no visual clues about emotions. It seems reasonable that children will also need to learn how to fit into these social systems but adults need training too to be confident to give appropriate guidance and make informed decisions about risk management
6. Internet communications have revolutionised social participation for those with autism and related conditions.
7. There needs to be awareness that there are micropolitical interests that have reasons for playing up or playing down the level of risk from social networks.