On 9 November the Council of Ministers adopted the new ''Safer Internet'' programme for the 2009-2013 period. The programme will have a budget of 55 million, distributed as follows: 48 percent for public awareness, 34 per cent to fight against illegal content and tackle harmful conduct online, 10 per cent for the promotion of a safer online environment and 8 percent to establish a knowledge base.
The program which has now been approved follows on from the previous programme for 2005-2008 and results from a European Commission proposal of 28 February 2008, subsequently supported by the European Parliament on 23 October 2008. The main objective of the ''Safer Internet'' programme is to protect children in an increasingly sophisticated electronic world, through knowledge and education on the safe use of online services, including social networking, blogs, instant messaging and mobile telephone communications.
Also on 9 November, a new Eurobarometer survey was released, which revealed that ''60% of European parents are worried that their child might become a victim of online grooming (when an adult befriends a child with the intention of committing sexual abuse) and 54% that their children could be bullied online (harassed on internet sites or via mobile messages)''.
Flash Eurobarometer survey 2008: ''Towards a Safer Use of the Internet for children in the EU - a parents' perspective''https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=771980
Further information:
EU adopts new Safer Internet Programme: € 55 million to make the Internet a safer place for childrenhttp://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1899&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Safer Internet Programme (2009 - 2013)http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/programme/index_en.htm
