More than two years after agreeing to take action to improve protection for children who use cell phones, operators are proud of the progress identified in a study, published on 9 June, by the GSM Association (GSMA). Commissioner Neelie Kroes welcomed that 91 companies are applying nationally the measures agreed on a voluntary basis, on 6 February 2007 (see Europolitics3242), but urged the industry to help parents to become informed on the dangers children face when using smart phones to access the internet.

Some 96% of EU mobile subscribers are covered by the agreement. According to the GSMA study, operators have made progress in four areas: controlling children’s access to adult content (eg Latvian operators carry out age checks at mobile phone shops and allow parents to block internet access on their children’s phone); classifying commercial content available on cell phones via colour codes in Italy to show whether content is acceptable for all; developing educational material and awareness campaigns (Britain and Malta); and working to fight illegal content and block access to sites with illegal content (Czech Republic and Slovakia).

The fact remains that “parents are often not as tuned in to the latest developments in mobile phones as the younger generation,” said the Digital Agenda commissioner. Better information for parents is sought by associations like Children’s Fund in Latvia. It reports that while young users are aware and more informed of potential risks, they only seek advice and help from parents in the final stage.

Mobile operators and social networks are invited to step up their efforts, but the Commission plans to continue relying on voluntary regulation in this area.