First eNACSO Members Meeting – Rome, 21-22 February 2013

The first eNACSO members meeting was held in Rome on February 21-22, 2013 and focused on E-Commerce and Privacy issues as main area to be explored and discussed due to the number of challenges it raises in relation to the protection of children rights (specifically, how businesses advertise and sell products and services online and on how both of these activities impact on children).

The event involved 27 people: 18 representatives of members NGOs; 3 representatives of associates NGOs, 3 experts and representatives of the academia; 3 staff.

The first panel hosted by Agnes Nairn, Professor of Marketing at EM-Lyon Business School. Her intervention “Selling to Children on the Internet” described how the current internet business model can affect children, the advertising strategies, the regulatory framework and, eventually, proposed some key recommendations.

The second session introduced three best practices on child safety in Europe by three eNACSO members:

– John Brown NSPCC (UK) presentation aimed to identify the similarities and differences with the impact of offline contact sexual abuse and the implications for treatment.

– Jenni Häikiö Save the Children Finland described the Otanvanstuun project for the online self-help material for people at risk of using internet in harmful/illegal ways (using child abuse images, approaching children for sexual purposes) and for professionals working with people at risk.

– Agnieszka Wrzesień Nobody’s Children Foundation (Poland) reported the results of an awareness campaign organized in Poland in order to promote the “safe” purchase of electronic devices for children (computer, tablet, console, smartphone, videogames).

The second day of the meeting started with the panel discussion “E-commerce – threats and opportunities for children’s safety.

Helena Sandberg – Associate Professor at Lund University – focused on an explorative study of 15-year-old Swedish teenagers, aimed to discuss their exposure-potential, actual, and perceived-to online advertising.

Enrica Farci – University of Bologna, presented the intervention “Watching the world through children’s eyes” focused on online commercial exploitation, privacy, protection personal data and European Commission e-privacy directive.

The second panel discussion focused on eNACSO advocacy strategy 2013-2014 within the Working group on Policy and Advocacy conducted by John Carr & Barbara Lilliu and on the debate on eNACSO campaigning strategy.