§ The Earl of Northeskasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, bearing in mind recent press reports concerning so-called Internet Addiction Syndrome and the implicit dangers of addiction to the Internet, they remain committed to their policy of introducing Internet access to every school in the land. [HL1087]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Clinton-Davis)Yes. The ability to engage with the new technologies and use them in lifelong learning, at work and at play is essential to the prosperity of future generations. But we are determined that our children will be protected from undesirable aspects of the web, ensuring that they see the Internet for what it is: a tool to help people and businesses in their everyday lives; not an end in itself. We support the work of the Internet Watch Foundation, including their efforts to develop a system for rating the content of Internet sites, and encourage the use of filtering tools by parents. Further guidance is available to schools and parents from the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA). This includes information on health and safety issues.