New Kidsurf: Safe Surfing from Telenor

Press release
Fornebu
4 minute read
Telenor is taking steps on behalf of its customers to prevent "pollution" of the Internet. This autumn Telenor is becoming a leading supplier of IT safety products for children and their families, and for the business market.

Telenor has now developed New Kidsurf for families with children. In this improved and even safer version, Kidsurf enables parents to fully monitor what their children have access to on the Internet.

Involving the parents

New Kidsurf is a browser that only allows users access to approved sites that have been given a comprehensive quality assurance. The limited number of sites has been handpicked in cooperation with the organisation Barnevakten.no (ChildMinder) and is of course subject to approval from parents. "This product is taking the concerns of parents seriously, and helps them to know where to draw the line with respect to their children's Internet use. Parents are now brought more actively into the process, since it is they who will have to decide which pages their children should have access to," said product consultant Knut Arild Nupen.

Free-of-charge

Kidsurf is included free-of-charge for all of Telenor subscriptions except Frisurf. Kidsurf is designed for the age group 6 - 13 years. In addition to shielding children on the Internet, parents should also protect their computers from curious children. Telenor therefore offers a package that prevents children from accessing the start-up menu and file system. The system will still give children access to those features they usually look for, such as games and learning. This start package provides a start page that is fresh and colourful, with icons especially designed for children and a mouse pointer that actually looks like a mouse. The software has been tested by children from age three and up. This extra package costs NOK 29 and is available at the following address: http://www.online.no/tilleggsprodukter

Telenor and SAFT

Telenor also has a similar partnership with SAFT, a project for safe Internet use run by the Norwegian Media Authority and co-funded by the European Union. Please visit www.saftonline.no for more information.

"It is time we made an effort to open people's eyes and protect the Internet as our most important channel of communication, both as private consumers and in our professional life. Telenor carries a special responsibility here, as Norway's largest Internet supplier. This is a responsibility that we take very seriously," said division director Knut Haakon Nilsen of Telenor Division Privat.

This autumn, a virus filter will be installed as a standard feature for all of Telenor's Online subscription plans in the residential market. Telenor's Frisurf customers will also receive such an anti-virus function, through a recent agreement with Norman ASA. In addition, Telenor provides spam filters that remove 90 per cent of all unwanted mail, available for NOK 29 per month.

Read more on safe online surfing for children