Mothers’ Union welcomes report on Parliamentary Inquiry into Online Child Protection

Last year, Claire Perry MP chaired a Parliamentary Inquiry into online safety. The Inquiry sought to understand the dangers that online pornography may pose to children and to determine what is currently being done to protect children and what further action should be taken by industry, the Government and parents. The inquiry collected evidence from a range of organisations, including Mothers’ Union, and has now made a number of recommendations. These include the Government reviewing the implementation of ‘Active Choice’ in fitting parental controls, and consulting on the introduction of an ‘opt-in’ filtering system in the UK, whereby customers would not have automatic access to adult material but would have to opt-in to receive it.

Speaking after the launch event, Mothers’ Union’s Chief Executive, Reg Bailey said: “We are delighted with the impetus behind Active Choice, and the recommendations that Internet Service Providers should provide better support for internet safety education to help parents keep their children safe online. Claire Perry rightly commented in the Inquiry that parents are responsible for their children’s online safety, and we would still advise parents to discuss the benefits and dangers of the internet, as they would with any other situations children need to learn to navigate as they grow up.”

To read the report of the Inquiry, go to http://www.claireperry.org.uk/downloads/independent-parliamentary-inquiry-into-online-child-protection.pdf

Tuesday 7th June

Government welcomes the Bailey Review

Sarah Teather: The Government welcome Mr Bailey’s analysis and the thrust of all the recommendations he has made. We note that the majority of the recommendations are directed at industry and the regulators and we look to them to see that these recommendations are implemented as fully as possible, while remaining open to industry and regulators devising alternative or additional approaches to delivering the outcomes that the recommendations are aimed at achieving.

Two recommendations are directed to the Government themselves. Mr Bailey has recommended that the Government should consider strengthening the controls on music videos. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will respond to this recommendation by consulting on the operation of the Video Recordings Act 1984 and 2010. The consultation will look at a range of options including consideration of whether it would be appropriate for the exemption that music videos enjoy from this legislation to be removed, and call for evidence in support of the costs and benefits of such a change.

This Government are committed to rolling back unnecessary regulation, but we will regulate where necessary, and in particular to protect children. By placing the responsibility for action on businesses themselves and, if necessary, their regulators, we believe that businesses will have the best opportunity and incentive to adopt policies and practices as proposed by Mr Bailey in ways which are efficient and indeed could provide new opportunities through connecting strongly with parents and children.

We will, as Mr Bailey recommends, take stock of progress in 18 months’ time and consider what further measures may need to be taken to achieve the recommended outcomes.

Monday 6th June

Mothers’ Union today responded to the publication of an independent Review for the Government, carried out by Mothers’ Union Chief Executive, Reg Bailey.

The Bailey Review, published this morning, has made 14 recommendations to Government on how to tackle the issues surrounding the commercialisation and sexualisation of children.

Rosemary Kempsell, Worldwide President of Mothers’ Union, said today that the organisation “welcomed the recommendations made in the Review, in particular the focus on parents’ concerns about the issues.”

In particular, Mothers’ Union welcomes the recommendations to introduce age ratings on music videos;   ensure the watershed is not pushed to the limits; and require retailers of internet enabled devices to ask customers to opt in to adult rated content at point of sale. These measures will go a long way to empowering parents to make informed decisions about what their children access online, and how. We would also like to see consideration of the content and placement of on-street advertising given well before adverts are placed and compliance not reliant on a complaint having been made first.”

However, Mothers’ Union would like more robust action from the Government than has been recommended. Rosemary Kempsell said: “We cannot agree with the Review that a purely consensual approach will be the most effective, and that further regulation or legislation would necessarily disempower parents. As the Review points out several times, parents want help and support to address the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood; and Government intervention is one way of achieving this. We should not be afraid to challenge industry when the welfare of our children, and their future, is at stake.”

“Mothers’ Union embraces the challenge, set in the Review, to hold to account those to whom the recommendations are addressed, and will do so through the continuation of our Bye Buy Childhood campaign.”

Tuesday 3rd May 2011

Mothers’ Union explicitly refutes all allegations regarding the banning of lesbian kisses on television before or after the watershed as claimed by the media this week, including in The Sun and the Daily Mail newspapers. The Bailey Review as conducted by the Department of Education is independent of the Mothers’ Union’s Bye Buy Childhood Campaign and therefore, any recourse to statements against Mothers’ Union are unfounded and should be directed to the Department of Education at this link –  http://www.education.gov.uk/help/contactus

The Mothers’ Union’s Campaign is gender inclusive and is therefore, neither targeted towards or against any type of relationship and should not be expressed as such. It clearly calls for the following in Britain and the Republic of Ireland:

a)    To challenge children, their parents and guardians and wider family to think about their consumer habits

b)    To empower families to address the influence of commercialisation within the home

c)    To engage with the commercial world and take positive action to challenge instances of inappropriate marketing or selling

d)    To hold the UK Government accountable on the pledges made in the coalition’s Programme for Government to:
address the commercialisation and sexualisation of children; and
raise awareness amongst other political representatives across the UK and Ireland.

Sunday 10th April 2011

Baily Review releases research findings

The Bailey Review on the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood has released preliminary findings into the views of parents on the subject.

• 88% of parents think that children are growing up ‘too quickly’ because of increasing sexualisation and commercial pressures
• 41% of parents have recently seen TV programmes or adverts before the watershed that they considered inappropriate for children to see
• 35% of parents believe that direct advertising through mobile phones is wrong

The full Review is due to be published at the end of May.

Monday 16th March 2011

Mothers’ Union at No. 10
MP support, and the signatures of over 18,500 parents and members showed that Mothers’ Union have a serious message to government about stopping sexualised media aimed at or easily accessed by children.

Press release
Flickr

11th February 2011

Reg Bailey launches public consultation on the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood

As part of his Review, Reg Bailey has launched a public consultation on the commercialisation of childhood. He is seeking views from parents, carers and other family members; and industry and other stakeholders. The consultation closes on Friday 18th March. To participate in the consultation go to http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm

13th January 2011

Baroness Verma highlights the Government Review on the commercialisation of childhood during a debate in the House of Lords on violence against women

“The noble Baroness, Lady Howe of Idlicote, also talked about the sexualisation of children. It is essential that we take steps to challenge these messages, demonstrate that they are not acceptable and work to put positive models and messages in place. That is why the Government have asked Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, to conduct an independent review into this issue. That will report in May 2011.”

20^th December 2010

Fiona Bruce MP asks Parliamentary Question in the House of Commons on the Commercialisation of Childhood

Fiona Bruce MP asked the Secretary of State for Education: What plans he has to address the commercialisation and premature sexualisation of childhood.

Sarah Teather MP, Minister for Children, answered on behalf of the Secretary of State: Parents express real concern about children being pressured into growing up too quickly, to become consumers or sexualised adults earlier than is appropriate. The Government have therefore made a commitment to take action to protect children from excessive commercialisation and premature sexualisation. I have asked Mr Reg Bailey, chief executive of the Mothers’ Union, to conduct an independent review of the issue and to make a full report with recommendations in May 2011.

6th December 2010

Helen Goodman MP asks Oral Question in House of Commons

Helen Goodman MP asked the Minister for Equalities, Lynne Featherstone MP : What progress she has made on implementing the recommendations of the review of sexualisation of young people undertaken by Linda Papadopoulos.

Lynne Featherstone: The coalition Government have already made a clear commitment to tackle the sexualisation of young people. That is why the Minister of State, Department for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for Brent Central (Sarah Teather), has announced today an independent review of the excessive commercialisation and premature sexualisation of childhood.

Helen Goodman: As a long-standing member of the Mother’s Union, I am pleased that the Government have listened to its “Bye Buy Childhood” report, but what has the Minister done about two particular recommendations in the Papadopoulos report, one of which recommends the closing down of pro-anorexic websites, while the other recommends labelling of airbrushing in teenage magazines?

Lynne Featherstone: On closing down anorexic websites, I will have to confer with my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Education, who has taken on this work from Dr Papadopoulos and other recommendations that will be considered by the new review. On the labelling of airbrushing, I have met people from the industry and we are looking at what may be done to ensure that we no longer have a single image which so affects young people who are oppressed by having to conform with being over-skinny.

6th December 2010

Mothers’ Union Chief Executive, Reg Bailey, has been asked by the Government to chair an independent review of the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood. The review has been commissioned by Sarah Teather MP, Minister for Children and Families, and is part of a strong commitment made by both the Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, to give a real measure of support to family life. Rosemary Kempsell, the Worldwide President of Mothers’ Union said “We are delighted that Reg has been asked to chair this independent review as Mothers’ Union is absolutely committed to seeing children as children, not simply as consumers. We have been involved with the welfare of children for many years, but have more recently launched our Bye Buy Childhood campaign in precisely this area because so many parents express their concerns to us.”

2nd December 2010

CREDOS is a new think tank that aims to deliver independent and ojective analysis of the challenges facing the advertising industry. The think tank has identified four areas that need to be prioritised to ensure that the advertising industry is fit for the future: understanding advertising to children; uncovering advertising’s value to the economy; recognising advertising’s creative contribution; and creating broader understanding of the industry.

For further information go to www.credos.org.uk

9th November 2010

David Morris MP (Morecambe and Lunesdale) has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament highlighting our campaign.

EDM 969

COMMERCIALISATION AND CHILDHOOD

That this House notes that childhood is a marketing opportunity worth £99 billion in the UK; is concerned about the effect on children’s wellbeing of the volume and some methods of advertising of children’s products; is particularly concerned about the use of sex to sell to children; welcomes Mothers’ Union’s Bye Buy Childhood campaign which challenges the commercialisation of childhood; recalls the Government’s promise to tackle the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood; and calls upon the Government to take steps to fully prohibit sexualised media, marketing and products aimed at or easily accessible to children under 16.

http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=41958

14th October 2010

Asda has finally removed from sale padded bras aimed at young girls. Earlier this year, Asda signed up Mumsnet’s Let Girls Be Girls campaign, pledging ‘not to sell products which exploit, emphasise or play upon ‘children’s sexuality’.

1st October 2010

The Advertising Association and Turner Media Innovations have launched a new website to help marketers advertise and communicate with children responsibly.

‘Check’ (www.check.uk.com) brings together all current regulations, legislation and guidance on marketing to and communicating with children in one, easy to use website.

If you’re hunting for games, our postcards listed below have loads of ideas. Click to enlarge

Don’t forget: play safe and look after others

You may also reply to comments on any of the posts listed in the ‘News and Views’ section, we will be continuously updating these pages so come back soon.

If you prefer, you may subscribe to our news feeds here

Admin