Child protection

Mobile phones play a big part in many young people’s lives. They are used for chatting and swapping messages with friends, surfing the web and taking pictures. So, it is very easy to see why young people love them. Mobiles are also great for parents, because they can stay in close contact with their children when they are out and about.

But there are risks and issues associated with the use of mobiles by children and young people. O2 is committed to creating an environment in which children can use information and communications technologies to enrich and improve their lives.

We focus on understanding and responding to the needs of our customers, including parents and children. Some mobile content is inappropriate for young people. However, parents may be unaware of this kind of content and would therefore be unable to manage the risks.

In each of our markets we provide parents and children with the necessary tools and guidance to use our products and services safely. These include filters and parental controls to protect young people from inappropriate content.

O2 is committed to a collaborative approach in this area and in 2006, together with European mobile providers, we signed up to the European commission framework for the safer mobile use by young teenagers and children. We actively work with national governments in all our markets to establish national codes of conduct, and work with NGOs such as Childnet International, Protageles, the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), to train our employees and educate our consumers.

O2 recognises the importance of media literacy and is committed to helping our customers get the most from new mobile media content and communications technologies. This includes offering advice about the ways that children can become better protected from risks in an online environment.

Download full leaflet

Alternatively, you can download our leaflet by section:

• Working with you to protect your children - O2’s commitment to making mobile phone use as safe as possible.
• What your child’s mobile can do - A quick introduction to the different features of mobile phones.
• Getting started - A few things you should know before your child starts using a mobile.
• Voice and voicemail services - Some tips on using a phone for a one-to-one conversation.
• Text and media messaging - The different types of messaging you can do with a mobile.
• Using camera phones safely - Being sensible about taking and sending pictures with a camera phone.
• Staying safe online - Some things to keep in mind when using a mobile to access the internet.
• Dealing with bullies - Advice for anyone who is being bullied through their mobile phones.
• Stopping nuisance calls and unwanted contact - What to do if you are getting upsetting or malicious calls.
• Dealing with spam - What to do with unwanted messages from companies trying to sell something.
• Protecting phones from theft - Some ideas to help you prevent your phone being stolen.
• Know what you are paying for - Making sure you know what services you are getting and how much they cost.
• Are mobile phones bad for children’s health? - Advice from the Department of Health.
• Safety in numbers - Summary of our child protection services.

We give balanced guidance for parents, teachers and children: telling customers about the risks, as well as, the benefits of our products and services. Dedicated web sites and printed materials offer frequently updated advice on Child Protection issues and the safe use of our mobile and internet services.

• Parents can activate Parental Control, a restricted browsing environment or 'walled garden' on a child's mobile.
• An age verification process restricts access to 18 classification mobile services.
• We work with the Internet Watch Foundation to block or remove images of child abuse.

Find out more: www.o2.co.uk/protectourchildren

• Our dedicated Child Protection website gives details of O2 safety features, including how to control web access and become an authorized contact on a child’s mobile phone account, as well as, providing useful tips on preventing bullying and controlling unwanted SMS and SPAM.
• It also includes a Checklist for Parents regarding the important questions to ask when buying a mobile phone and gives safety advice for parents regarding access to social networking sites on the mobile phone.

Find out more: www.o2.ie/childprotection

• We work with renowned partners – ‘JFF Institut für Medienpädagogik in Forschung und Praxis’ (JFF Institute for Media Education) and the European initiative - http://www.klicksafe.de/.  Together, we inform children and young people about the safe use of mobile phones and the internet, and the benefits and risks associated with these forms of communication.
• We have improved the level of advice given to customers regarding Child Protection, as part of our contracts process, as well as, enhanced online information about Child Protection products and services.
• We have launched a free, Child Protection hotline - 22 988*. This provides customers with help, information and advice about all Child Protection issues. Qualified agents support customers, seven days a week, between 8 am and 8 pm.

Find out more: www.o2online.de/goto/jugendschutz

• We continue to update our dedicated Child Protection web site, which aims to raise awareness of Child Protection issues and educate children, parents and teachers.
• We partner the 'Safer Internet and the Safer Internet Helpline' - the first Czech helpline to protect children against the misuse of internet.
• We have implemented a 'Marketing to Children in the Czech Republic' policy, which is closely related to the 'European Framework for Safer Mobile Use by Younger Teenagers and Children'.
• This policy has become a key point of reference for all our marketing and sales activity, as well as, the development of our products and services.

Find out more: www.cz.o2.com/childprotection