75% of children aged between 6 and 17 "use the Internet, and 50% of children under 10 have a mobile phone". At the same time, "60% of European parents fear their children may fall prey to online predators and 54% fear their children may be bullied online, i.e. harassed through web sites or text". A new Eurobarometro survey is submitted by the EU Commission on the same day the EU gives the last go-ahead to the EU programme "Safer Internet" for a safer, more sensible use of the Internet. The programme will be enforced on January 1st 2009, after the European Parliament voted for it in late October and the Council of Ministers of the 27 member states adopts it today. Safer Internet 2009-2013, outlined by the EU Commission early this year, "aims to protect children in an increasingly complex online environment and offer them the tools they need to safely use such web services as online socialisation, blogs and instant messaging services". The purpose of the programme is "to fight online predators and bullies by making online software and mobile technology safer and more sophisticated". 55 million euros will be invested in the next 4 years. (continued)
