Telenor Group has declared February 10th as the Safe Internet Day 2015 in its effort to promote online safety by announcing multiple initiatives to make the Internet a safer place for children, particularly in digital newcomer markets. The Norway-based mobile network group operator, one of the world's largest mobile telecommunications companies with operations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia estimates that 55 million children around the world will be online by 2017.
Along with other leading ICT players, including Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, Telenor collaborates with the European Commission’s CEO Coalition to make the Internet a better place for kids, and has worked with Interpol to become the first mobile operator in the world to introduce safety and child sexual abuse filters for mobile phones. Telenor has also joined industry forces to drive the establishment of the GSM Association’s Mobile Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Content.
Telenor initiatives for a Safer Internet for all is taking root across Asia with a number of programs across its subsidiaries. In India, Uninor's WebWise, which was launched last year, aims to reach 20,000 children in all of its six circles through internet education and online safety workshops. In Thailand, dtac is expanding its Safe Internet programs to include a new national study on internet behavior and experiences of Thai youth, much like that which was conducted in 2014 in Malaysia by Digi Communications. At the same time, Grameenphone, the largest mobile service provider in Bangladesh celebrates this Safe Internet Day with a parent-teacher workshop at Grameenphone headquarters.
Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO, Telenor Group
Telenor takes responsibility to ensure children’s safety on the internet, and works with multiple stakeholders at a global level to deliver on that commitment.
Sigve Brekke, EVP and Head of Operations for Telenor markets in Asia
The potential of the internet to drive financial inclusion and access to knowledge, better health, and resources, connectivity is immense, but not without its risks. Our business units are actively working to mitigate these by rolling out multiple safety initiatives in parallel with the expansion of its mobile services – with the aim to achieve Internet for All.
