What is the Kitemark® Child Safety Online?
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. If they successfully achieve the criteria, they are awarded a Kitemark licence. The manufacturer can then display the famous Kitemark logo on their product to show consumers that it has passed the most rigorous tests that currently exist on the market.
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. You could lose out if you don’t have the Kitemark certification in place.
With parent’s 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 that reassurance.
The Kitemark’s integrity means that your customers will know they are getting a safer and more reliable product, that has been independently tested and will offer the most consistent level of protection currently available on the market. 93%* of the UK adult population trust Kitemark products or services and 88%* of them believe that a Kitemark shows that the product comes from a reputable company.
What does the Child Safety Online Kitemark® cover?
The scheme covers internet access control products, services, tools or other systems. The integrity of the Kitemark allows for this level of control without compromising parent-child trust and will provide users with:
- Easy installation, configuration and use
- Effective filtering
- Essential features
- Easy updating of software
- Easy to understand instructions
- Consumer communications and support
All such products or services will be tested by BSI for their ability to block specified categories of websites based on their URL. These categories are:
- 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
Maintaining the integrity and trust of the Kitemark is paramount to BSI. As such the laboratory testing will check that the product or service:
- Does not unduly block access to suitable internet content
- Configuration settings are adequately protected so that the product or service 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, such as loss of password.
* GfK NOP Consumer survey 2006
