The government has announced yet another scheme to tackle Internet Safety with the launch of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCISS) that consists of the more than 100 public and private sector organisations that have been working with government, parents and young people.
Launched today by Prime Minister Gordon Brown at London's Science Museum, the group reports directly to him and is charged with delivering the recommendations from Dr Tanya Byron's recent report "Safer Children in a Digital World".
More info:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/sep/29/childprotection.childrenIn light of my own personal circumstances mentioned above I'm wondering if this latest initiative will have any bearing on protecting citizens in the UK or elsewhere from stalking and bullying incidents?
My experience is that, despite press releases and hype, our law enforcement capability has neither the resources, knowledge or power to investigate and decisively deal with the stalkers and bullies that abuse the freedoms of the Internet, especially in the many cases that cross international borders.
I very much hope that this new group will make a difference and that we will see more action than working parties. For my family it has been the issue of apprehending an individual who launches attacks from another country which seems to have outwitted the 100 or so groups referred to above that have so far been working in this area.