EVENTS: Child protection must come first on the Internet (EUROPE)

Child protection must come first on the Internet -
the Council of Europe message to the Internet Governance Forum

Strasbourg, 06.11.2007 - The protection of children against sexual
exploitation and sexual abuse is a major challenge in Internet
regulation today. Governments must sign up to the new Council of Europe
Convention to protect children, says Maud de Boer-Buquicchio as the
Council of Europe prepares to propose solutions at a global level, at
the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). The United Nations conference will
take place from 12 to 15 November in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).

The Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Maud de
Boer-Buquicchio, will be addressing over a 1,500 participants -
representatives of governments, the private sector and civil society -
at the opening ceremony.

The Council of Europe will be organising, or jointly organising, eight
workshops, on the following themes:

- Freedom of expression as a security issue;
- Protecting children on the Internet; moderated by BBC journalist David
Reid;
- Public participation in Internet governance: emerging issues,
practices and proposed solutions;
- The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime;
- "Quality " and the Internet: using and trusting Internet content;
moderated by BBC world presenter Nik Gowing;
- Legislative responses to current and future cyber-threats;
- Content regulation and the duty of states to protect fundamental rights;
- The public service value of the Internet.

The Council of Europe has also been invited to take part in a wide range
of other events.

The Europe-wide organisation, which is in the vanguard of efforts to
combat Internet crime, acts with the support of its 47 member states on
the basis of key conventions on cybercrime
<http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=185&CM=2&DF=11/5/2007&CL=ENG>,
the prevention of terrorism
<http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=196&CM=2&DF=11/5/2007&CL=ENG>,
the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse
<http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=201&CM=2&DF=11/5/2007&CL=ENG>
and counterfeit medicines (this last convention is in the process of
being drafted).

The Council of Europe conventions provide a legal basis in Europe and
beyond, as countries that are not members of the Organisation may accede
to them.

The Council of Europe's written contribution
<http://www.coe.int/t/dc/press/source/CoE%20submission%20to%20IGF_100807FINAL.doc>
to the Internet Governance Forum is available at

www.coe.int/internetgovernance <http://www.coe.int/internetgovernance>

For further information about the Forum, see www.intgovforum.org

<http://www.intgovforum.org> or www.igfbrazil2007.br

<http://www.igfbrazil2007.br> See also the United Nations/IGF synthesis
paper
<http://www.intgovforum.org/Rio_Meeting/IGF.SynthesisPaper.24.09.2007.rtf>,
which draws largely on the Council of Europe's written contribution.

Press contact: Estelle Steiner, Press Officer
Tel. +33 (0)3 88 41 33 35, Mobile +33 (0)6 08 46 01 57,
estelle.steiner@coe.int <mailto:estelle.steiner@coe.int>

Press Release
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 745a07
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
pressunit@coe.int
internet: www.coe.int/press

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A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops
common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 47
member states.