Telenor in European coalition to promote safer Internet for children

Press release
Fornebu
3 minute read
In response to an invitation from the European Commission, Telenor Group and a wide range of world-leading ICT companies have joined ranks to form the "Coalition to make the Internet a better place for kids".
The Coalition will operate with a mandate of delivering improved safety for children and their parents, and will focus on five clearly identified areas:

  • Simple and robust reporting tools for users

  • Age-appropriate privacy settings

  • Wider use of content classification

  • Wider availability and use of parental control

  • Effective takedown of child abuse material


The work of the Coalition will build on and continue the efforts of other successful initiatives from previous years, but is unique in that it brings together companies from across many parts of the ICT value chain. EU Commissioner Neelie Kroes has been championing the initiative and is committed to work with the ICT companies to achieve the goal of improved protection in the defined areas.

"The Coalition is a cooperative voluntary intervention designed to respond to emerging challenges arising from the diverse ways in which young Europeans go online," Kroes explained.

In recent years, Telenor has worked systematically to address the challenges that have emerged with wider Internet penetration. We have seen positive results from our outreach campaigns and our focus on building arenas for dialogue, involving children, teachers and parents.

"The Internet offers fantastic possibilities for children everywhere. New ways to learn, play and interact are opening up. But we must also be mindful of the threats and build sound attitudes to behaviour online," said Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO of Telenor Group.

"Across the ICT ecosystem we share a responsibility for giving our children a safe environment to explore. At Telenor Group we look forward to continue our work to develop a safer online experience through the Coalition. We welcome this opportunity to move forward together," Baksaas said.