Systems Downtime

There will be a scheduled downtime of all University computer systems and services (with the exception of email extenally of the University) from 6pm on 11th July - 8am on 14th July.

This will be to upgrade the University internal network equipment. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.    

Alarms Over New Trend In Online Sex Abuse

Photograph by Photark

New research by the Child Exploitation & Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has revealed that children are increasingly being groomed over the Internet for online sexual abuse.

Only 7% of the 1,145 online abuse cases reported to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre in 2012 involved people trying to meet a child.

Peter Davies, chief executive of Ceop - which monitors child abuse online - said: "We've seen a drop in the amount of grooming with a view to meeting offline. That's still a risk but it's a diminishing risk.
"The growth area seems to be grooming, contact, and then sexual abuse purely online. We really need to make sure that young people are target hardened [sic] against that.

The research by CEOP and the University of Birmingham is available to read online here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S135917891200122X 

Internet Detective

Do you sometimes struggle to evaluate the information that you find on the web?

If so then why not try the Internet Detective? It's a free interactive tutorial which helps you to find good quality information, how to evaluate it - and which websites are best avoided!

Check it out here: Internet Detective

Sexting & Sexual Grooming

Stockport MP, Ann Coffey introduced a Westminster Hall debate on the growing phenomenon of "sexting" - the sharing of sexually suggestive messages or images electronically, primarily between mobile phones. She said that sexting was often used as a form of cyber-bullying and that the link between sexual grooming and sexting is becoming increasingly apparent (according to the children's charity Beat Bullying). Increasingly younger children are being affected. Ms Coffey said that the mobile phone industry should do more to highlight some of the dangers of its products and suggested that the Children’s Minister should raise some of her specific ideas when he next met with the mobile phone companies.

You can read a summary of the debate here:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120425/halltext/120425h0001.htm#12042537000002

Children & Internet Pornography

A new report by a cross party group of MPs says that children’s attitudes to sex, relationships and body image are being damaged by easy access to online pornography. It argues that internet firms have a responsibility to ensure that children are unable to access inappropriate content online, including websites that promote self-harm and extreme violence. The inquiry group says that current efforts are "inadequate" and it calls on the government to force broadband providers to take firm action.

You can read the report here: http://www.claireperry.org.uk/downloads/independent-parliamentary-inquiry-into-online-child-protection.pdf