July marked the 1st year’s anniversary since the launch of the Friendly WiFi Scheme, the world’s first accreditation scheme to verify whether a business’ public WiFi service meets a minimum level of filtering to block out access to pornographic and child sex abuse websites.
Having entered accreditation with over 50 WiFi providers, including Starbucks, Tesco’s, IKEA, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Maudsley centre, the programme now looks set to expand to the United States on it’s quest to protect children and young people.
As Beverley Smith, Director of RDI who launched the Friendly WiFi Scheme said:
“The first year of the scheme has been fantastic and it has been a real pleasure to work with all brands involved as well as the brands I am currently discussing the scheme with. To see the expansion of the scheme across all types of venues is achieving exactly what the scheme was developed to do. We receive fantastic support from providers and to see two of WiFi SPARK’s customers come on board, thanks to their help, is brilliant. I am so proud to welcome the new brands and to see the scheme launch in the US.”
Baroness Shields added:
“The Friendly WiFi scheme has been a great success and is another example of how the UK is leading the worldwhen it comes to making the internet a safer place for young people. I am delighted that organisations like IKEA, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Maudsley Centre and the City of York Council are joining the current members who are setting the bar for the responsible provision of public WiFi. Parents can take comfort in knowing that their children are protected from harmful content in these zones, and wherever they see the Friendly WiFi logo.”
On 24 July 2013 UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced that a concerted effort would be made to ensure WiFi services offered in public places in the UK would be made ‘family friendly’. The Registered Digital Institute (RDI) and The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), with support from Government and the UK internet industry, developed the world’s first public WiFi accreditation scheme, Friendly WiFi. July 2015 marks the scheme’s 1 Year Anniversary.
To find out more visit: http://www.getmedigital.com/friendly-wifi
