Kitemark for Child Safety Online Software

NEWS FLASH: First Kitemark certification for Child Safety Online means safer surfing 

13th January 2011: Netintelligence are the first manufacturer of internet filtering software to achieve the Kitemark certification. The  Kitemark is designed to help consumers identify internet filtering software that has been designed to a high standard and which is both effective and easy to use. The Kitemark aims to give parents confidence in such products, to encourage new product development, and most importantly, help to reduce the amount of harmful content seen by children.

Read the press releases - BSI Netintelligence

The Kitemark for Child Safety Online has been developed through a collaboration between BSI -  a leading certification body -, the Home Office, Ofcom and representatives from ISPs and application developers.

Kitemark safeguarding Children Online

The Kitemark for Child Safety Online has been developed through a collaboration between BSI - the UK's National Standards Body -, the Home Office, Ofcom and representatives from ISPs and application developers.

What the scheme covers:

The scheme covers internet access control products, services, tools or other systems. 

• Easy installation, configuration and use
• Effective filtering
• Essential features
• Easy updating of software
• Easy to understand instructions
• Consumer communications and support

BSI will test for their ability to block the following categories of websites:

• Adult (sexually explicit) content
• Violence (including weapons and bombs)
• Racist and hate material
• Illegal drug taking and the promotion of illegal drug use
• Criminal skills/activity
• Gambling

Laboratory testing will also check that the product or service:

• Does not unduly block access to suitable internet content
• Configuration settings are adequately protected so that the product cannot be disabled
• Security settings are not compromised by any tools provided by the hardware, operating system or browser
• Regain control procedure is effective should the security system fail

Kitemark Benefits for Software Developers

• Proof that your product is of Kitemark quality

• Increased consumer confidence in your product

• Demonstration of your commitment to quality and child safety

• Enhancement of brand image

• License to display the Kitemark logo on filtering products

• Competitive advantage through consumer choice of Kitemark products

• Access to wider markets and tenders

What is Kitemark certification?

This is a certification scheme for internet website filtering software produced by software manufacturers. These products can be bought as stand alone products from computer stores or come as part of an operating system or ISP package. Either way, the software’s performance, reliability and user-friendliness are tested to the scheme's criteria.

As a filtering software manufacturer - why do I need a Kitemark?

Quite simply to protect your business.  In future organisations may well specify Kitemark to compete in tenders for projects or funding.  With parents fears rising over the content of websites, the need for reassurance that a product  will offer the protection it claims will be more and more important.  Kitemark certification will give your customers reassurance.
 

Scheme Background

The Home Office Hi Tech Crime Team and Ofcom sponsored the development of a standard and Kitemark scheme for internet service providers and software products with the objective of protecting children from undesirable features of internet technology.

The project was a collaboration involving BSI as the UK's National Standards Body, the Home Office, Ofcom and representatives of ISPs and application developers to raise the standard of filtering, monitoring and blocking applications for the UK market .

Kitemark Child Safety Online Scheme Supporters:

• 8e6 Technologies
• Adaptive Mobile
• AOL
• BASDA
• BBC Online
• BBFC
• Becta Internet Taskforce
• Bluecoat
• Borderware
• Brightfilter
• BSI (British Standards Institution)
• Cabinet Office
• Centre fo Computing and Social Responsibility
• Chat Moderators
• Childnet International
• Commtouch
• Crisp Thinking
• Dubit
• Fortinet
• F-Secure Corporation
• Guardian Software
• Home Office
• IBM
• Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (icstis)
• Interactive Media in Retail Group
• Internet Content Association
• Internet Watch Foundation
• Intertek
• ISPA
• Learning and Teaching Scotland
• Lightspeed Systems
• McAfee
• Media Education
• Message Labs
• Microsoft
• Mobile Broadband Group
• NAI
• National Childrens Home Taskforce
• National Computing Centre
• Netintelligence
• Netsweeper
• NTL
• Ofcom
• Pacsis
• Public Sector Forums
• Rulespace
• Secure Computing
• SmoothWall
• Solarsoft Ltd
• Sophos
• StreamShield
• Surfpatrol
• Symantec
• THUS Plc
• t-Scheme
• Virgin Media
• Wanadoo
• Websense
• Wise Kids
• Yahoo
• Yousurf
• Zentec Solutions
  

Kitemark Child Safety Online Software Scheme

If you'd like to apply for a Kitemark Child Safety Online Licence, please download, print and complete the form attached to the our Brochure.

 Download Child Safety Online Brochure & Form