Wednesday October 25, 2006
Thinkuknow nets Cybercrime Award
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is celebrating international recognition for its groundbreaking Thinkuknow education campaign.
Thinkuknow was announced as the winner of the International Law Enforcement Cybercrime Award (ILECA) at a ceremony in Vancouver yesterday. The award recognises innovation and best practice from law enforcement agencies in preventing, detecting and responding to cybercrime.
The award is presented annually by The Society for the Policing of Cyberspace (POLCYB). It is judged by a panel of law enforcement professionals and partner representatives from POLCYB. To win, the agency concerned must demonstrate success and innovation in its engagement with community partners to prevent and combat online crime.
CEOP’s Thinkuknow education programme is specifically designed to keep children safe online and shows young people how to make the most of the Internet, by having fun and staying in control. It is unique, not just because it has been designed by a working partnership of police, child protection specialists, industry and young people, but also because it is the first campaign to go as far as introducing an online reporting mechanism.
The system enables children to immediately report any instances of inappropriate online contact at www.thinkuknow.co.uk. The CEOP Centre investigates each report and seeks the arrest and prosecution of any offenders.
We are delighted to have been announced as winner of this year’s award,” explains CEOP’s Education Team Co-ordinator, Helen Penn. “A huge amount of work has gone in to creating and promoting Thinkuknow as a means of empowering children within the online environment.
This honour is not simply one for CEOP but also its partners in industry, non government organisations, charities, children’s services and the members of our youth panel. Together, these people have gone to great lengths to ensure that Thinkuknow is not only accessible and interesting to children and young people but also that it engages them, encouraging them to play a vital role in their own protection without dictating to them or restricting their enthusiasm for all the internet has to offer.
For further information please call the media enquiries line at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre on 0870 000 3434