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DRAFT RESOLUTION NO. 346 /X

It recommends the Government to draw up a Campaign

National Awareness and Risk Prevention of the

Internet for children, in the framework of the National System

of Alerting and Protection of Missing Children.

Exhibition of Motives:

It is, today, consensual throughout the World, that the use of the

internet can put children and young people in situations of

danger, as this is the most widely used form by the

sexual predators to seek out their victims and

reach out to them.

Currently, children are the biggest users of the

internet, particularly of chats . The extraordinary evolution and

expansion of these technologies can be an important

tool for the intellectual development of children and

young people, but can equally prove extremely

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dangerous due to lack of parental control over the

interlocutors and contents of the chats .

The way in which the zeal of the parents manifests itself is quite revealing

of some generational misadjustment: they will never allow that

the children if deslowhom , alone, for isolated places and

dangerous, but by allowing for navigation on the internet,

may inadvertently be facilitating an exhibition

to the most varied risks in the apparent security of the home.

And even if those in charge of education seek to avoid the

access to certain sites or chats , will be able to bump into the

language and own codes that children and young people

use to communicate on the internet, and that parents do not

know, do not even understand.

We can even talk about a lack of basic literacy

of the parents in relation to the internet for, according to data from the

Project "MiudosSegurosNa.Net":

 60% of parents are intermediate users;

 56% of parents never sit next to their kids

while these browse the internet;

 Only 4% does it always.

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Ora, all of this, creates a sizable 'digital divide' between parents

and children.

Obviously, the solution does not go through banning young people from

accept the chats like the "MSN", not so little

discourage access to the internet or to new technologies, that

constitute an essential tool of your

development and a paramount condition for your

future. But the parents will have to accept that the protection of the roof

domestic can be delusional and should explain to them the risks

that these sites may entail.

Not any kind of excessive "control" or

prohibitionism, until because, in addition to condemnable in the

plan of the principles, it would be totally ineffective, for when

parents to prevent the installation of these sites in the

computers, there would already exist ways to bypass the filters of

security. These days, children have, since very early,

a huge technological elasticity and, with the prohibitions, the

adults would enter an undesirable conflict with their children. The

mere ban does not clarify, not alert and, since soon, not

sidestasts the danger to which they are subject.

In addition to that, and according to the National Coordinator

of the "EU Kids Online" Project, the Portuguese children

acedem much more to the internet via the mobile phone than from the

computer, which represents an exhibition and risk

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increased as, in this way, they aced to the sites and chats that

want, from where they want, even in school, and without any

type of control.

It is consensual that in order to combat these risks, the attitude more

important and sensible is prevention.

Second data provided by the Director of the Department

"Child and Child Online Protection" by Child

Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), the evolution

in the UK of images on the internet of abused children

sexually it is as follows:

 1995: 12 images;

 1999: 41,000 images;

 2008: 1 thousandhão of images.

It matters not to forget that behind each image the circular

on the internet, is a real child, and these data make us

reflect and conclude that you cannot discure, in a way

any, the legislation applicable to the use of the internet by

children.

In this context, it would be very important that the European Union

could proceed to the necessary harmonization of laws

applicable in this respect, in such a way as to facilitate the charges and

detentions related to paedophilia.

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For its integration in the U.E. and the Schengen Area, Portugal

is considered a country permeable to the sex trafficking of

children and young people.

Now, to be effective, it has to be acted on

in various fields of action, which not only the legislature. How

has already been mentioned, prevention is the most important attitude in the

combating disappearances, trafficking and sexual abuse of

children and young people.

In this sense, they should be designed and implemented

national awareness raising campaigns and warning of risks to

that the children are subject to, as users of the internet.

These campaigns should be disseminated in the communication

social and in schools.

The site from CEOP in the UK, presents films well

designed on the form of prevention in this matter. Would be

desirable to be made films of this genus in Portugal

to disseminate at the national level or at least who are asked

to CEOP to authorize its diffusion, with translation to

Portuguese. Some of these films can be seen in:

 http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=vp5nScG6C5g;

 http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=YUF3qhYs1i0;

 http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=lOeQnGUSjMs;

 http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=_baoFXIOLoY;

 http://br.youtube.com/watch?v=6JHg5PqBTjQ;

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On the other hand, in the understanding of the CDS-PP, it was important that

in Portugal also applied on the "MSN" something similar

to the English "Report Abuse"-which is directly linked to the

CEOP-in which children quickly could access and,

with all security of confidentiality, denouncing a

approach to which they have been targeted, an attempt at abuse

or even an abuse. Upon receiving a message from a

child, CEOP immediately actuates the entities

competent to verify the veracity of the facts and

proceed to the search and detention of the abuser. Suit to remember

that the "MSN" is the chat more used by children, soon, a

easy and very attractive target for criminals.

By the exposed, the Assembly of the Republic, pursuant to the

(b) of Article 156º of the Constitution of the Republic

Portuguese, deliberating to recommend to the Government that:

Draw up a National Awareness Campaign and

Prevention of the risks of the Internet for children, in the

scope of the National System of Alert and Protection of

Children Missing and Sexually Bussed, to be

disseminated in the media and schools.

Palace of Saint Benedict, June 2, 2008.

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The Deputies,