Liberty Global, Inc. ("Liberty Global”) (Nasdaq: LBTYA) (Nasdaq: LBTYB)
(Nasdaq: LBTYK) and Insafe, the European network of Awareness Centers
promoting safe, responsible use of the internet, today announced the
launch of a new, interactive e-safety website (www.esafetykit.net)
designed to help protect children on the web. The site is targeted at
children in a fun way, and also has sections for parents and school
teachers. Esafetykit.net was developed by Insafe with the support of
Liberty Global, one of its main partners, and its operating companies in
Europe under the brands of UPC, Cablecom, Telenet, and Unitymedia and is
endorsed by the European Commission.
Today’s launch is part of the European Commission’s ‘Safer Internet Day’
initiatives. The website is initially available in eight country
versions and will soon be accessible in many other countries with local
language versions. The site aims to make internet safety fun, engaging
and non-threatening through the use of interactive exercises, educating
families on how to reduce the risk of cyber-bullying or other predatory
behavior such as online grooming.
‘Think Before You Post’
Liberty Global and its companies also support Insafe’s European ‘Think
before you post’ public service announcement and will air this campaign
on local websites, and various TV channels across its European
footprint. To view: Safer
Internet Day 2010: Think B4 U post
The 7th edition of Safer Internet Day is celebrated this year
with many events organized in over fifty countries. On this occasion,
the European Commission has organized a
round-table meeting in
the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, to discuss the awareness minors
have about the risks of posting images and personal information online.
Manuel Kohnstamm, Managing Director Public Policy and Communications of
Liberty Global said: "The dynamic nature of the internet places a
particular responsibility on us, as a service provider, to take action
to ensure children’s online safety. The launch of the e-Safetykit
website and the ‘Think before you post’ campaign are important steps
forward in our long-term effort to make this possible. We aim to build
upon our successful relationship with Insafe and our ongoing commitment
to empower children and families by providing free, easily accessible
tools that enable consumers as much as possible to control digital
threats.”
The Interactive Toolkit
The e-safety website, available at www.esafetykit.net,
will be distributed through a range of channels, including Insafe’s
internet safety awareness centers, Liberty Global affiliates, NGO
partners and schools. The site is based on the printed ‘family toolkit,’
which was developed in 2008 by Insafe and Liberty Global. The family
toolkit consists of a comprehensive parent’s guide, an activity-based
guidebook designed specifically for children between 6-12 years old,
stickers, a family certificate and situation cards.
The e-Safety website will extend the reach of the printed version. Over
300,000 hard copies of the toolkit have already been distributed in 11
languages and across 18 countries.
The Liberty Global and Insafe Partnership
Liberty Global’s partnership with Insafe is part of the Company’s
Corporate Responsibility program with a key focus on ‘Protecting Minors’
and ‘Digital Inclusion’ by widening access, enhancing skills and
creating opportunities. The internet safety toolkit promotes ‘enhancing
skills’ by helping to ensure that people are able and qualified to use
digital products and services safely, securely and effectively.
As a ‘Gold’ partner of Safer Internet Day 2010, Liberty Global and
Insafe also developed an online collaboration platform for professionals
(www.sidfair.org)
that showcases best practices on safer internet. Liberty Global’s
operating companies celebrated the day in many countries with local
internet safety activities.
Liberty Global
Liberty Global is the leading international cable operator offering
advanced video, voice and broadband internet services to connect its
customers to the world of entertainment, communications and information.
As of September 30, 2009, Liberty Global operated state-of-the-art
networks that served approximately 17 million customers across 14
countries principally located in Europe, Japan, Chile, and Australia.
Liberty Global’s operations also include significant programming
businesses such as Chellomedia in Europe.
Insafe & Safer Internet Day
Safer Internet Day is a yearly event celebrated in over 60 countries in
the month of February and organized by INSAFE. February 9, 2010 is the 7th
edition of the event.
Insafe, based in Brussels, is a network of national nodes that
coordinate internet safety awareness in Europe. The network is set up
and co-funded within the framework of the European Commission’s Safer
Internet plus Program. The mission of the Insafe cooperation network is
to empower citizens to use the internet, as well as other online
technologies, positively, safely and effectively. The network calls for
shared responsibility for the protection of the rights and needs of
citizens, in particular children and youths, by government, educators,
parents, media, industry and all other relevant actors. Insafe partners
work closely together to share best practice, information and resources.
The network interacts with industry, schools and families in the aim of
empowering people to bridge the digital divide between home and school
and between generations.
www.saferinternet.org
For more information, please visit www.lgi.com.