Internet Law Specialist Mark Stephens to Speak at the ISPA Awards -
Mark Stephens CBE, a solicitor specialising in IP, defamation, privacy, Human Rights and intellectual property has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for the ISPA Awards on July 7.
Mr Stephens has undertaken some of the highest profile cases in the country and abroad and he will be speaking about his recent work advising Julian Assange and Wikileaks and his thoughts on the recent Twitter super-injunction issue.
The Awards will crown Internet companies in thirteen categories and will also award the annual Internet Hero and Villain. The ceremony will feature live band 'Flood the Floor', and comedian and compere Adam Bloom.
The black-tie event will take place at the Lancaster London Hotel on the 7th July from 7.30pm. Tickets are still available from the website here or you can contact awards@ispa.org.uk. The awards are sponsored by Magrathea, Plusnet, BE Wholesale, UKFast, Geo, Virtual Internet and NewNet.
ISPA Holds Parliamentary Forum on Online Parental Controls
ISPA held its 15th Parliamentary Advisory Forum this month. The event was designed to discuss how best to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content online.
Claire Perry MP who hosted the event repeated her call for ISPs to offer opt-out network level content filters. Other panellists argued that parents should be better supported by their ISPs and given an active choice of parental control mechanisms, including device-based filters.
Communications Minister Ed Vaizey MP kicked off the event by acknowledging that online child protection was a real live issue and that ISPs needed to provide parents with easily accessible tools to control what their children access online. He emphasised that parents should be given an active choice, that Government was wary to implement regulation and that ISPs need to provide parents with better information and easily accessible tools to control what their children see online.
Nicholas Lansman the ISPA Secretary General welcomed the Minister's comments. He acknowledged that more can be done but emphasised "that protecting children's welfare online was a shared responsibility between; parents who need to be actively responsible for the safety of their children and take an ongoing interest in their use of the internet and ISPs who should provide them with effective parental control software"
ISP representatives on the panel demonstrated that the industry was taking the issue of parental control seriously. Dido Harding, CEO of TalkTalk, outlined that her company offered an opt-in network level filtering solution and Mike Galvin, Managing Director of Research and Technology for BT explained that the large consumer facing ISPs were in the process of developing a code of conduct on child protection.
Further contributions came from Justine Roberts, CEO of Mumsnet, who highlighted that ISPs should provide tools to empower parents to protect their children and Clarissa Smith, Reader in Sexual Cultures at the University of Sunderland, who called for more evidence-based policy making.
The event raised a number of important questions including definitions of adult content, ease of circumvention and the advantages of individual device filtering and who should decide on what should be blocked.
ISPA statement on Bailey Review of the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood
The Bailey Review of the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood was published this month and can be read here. ISPA welcomed the fact that the report tries to find a balanced approach between encouraging responsible behaviour and proactive protection.
ISPA recognises that parents continue to be concerned that their children are particularly vulnerable when online. Internet safety is a priority issue for ISPs who continue to listen to their customers' and we welcome that the report acknowledges that "industry already does much to help educate parents about parental controls, age-restriction and content filters".
ISPA believes the most effective way to control children and young people's access to content on the Internet is through the education of parents and the use of device-based parental control software and most ISPs already offer parental control solutions as part of their service. However, the report is correct in highlighting that "parents need to be actively responsible for the safety of their children and take an ongoing interest in their use of the internet".
ISPs actively promote their parental control solutions and ISPA, as a member of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), will explore how best to give parents a choice about whether filters should be switched on or off.
One Connect, Odyssey Systems and Printing 365 Join in June
One Connect Limited provide communications' technology services for, and on behalf of, Lancashire County Council and other organisations.
Odyssey Systems provide telecommunications and broadband andPrinting 365 offer online printing.
A full list of ISPA members can be found here and you can phone or email ISPA for information about membership benefits at admin@ispa.org.uk or 020 7340 8741.
NewNet Wholesale launches Virtual Pipe proposition
NewNet Wholesale has launched an innovative Virtual Pipe proposition for the Wholesale market that offers flexibility and profitability for the Channel Partner. The proposition will empower Channel Partners to drive their business forward in line with their own strategy and eliminate the dictatorial nature of package consumption traditionally seen in the market place.
The proposition is under pinned by the launch of the Partner Eye. This portal is a departure from the standard provisioning tools offered out to Partners and is truly a vehicle for "doing business". The Partner Eye enables Partners to include and package their own products in line with the competitive offerings from NewNet Wholesale. With it full white labelling capabilities it can be utilised by their customers and beyond.
For more information go to - www.newnet.co.uk or meet NewNet at their stand at the ISPA Awards on the 7th July - www.ispaawards.org.uk.
Plusnet Business Solution
Plusnet has been providing UK households with award-winning broadband for some time now but many people are still unaware of its strong business portfolio.
Plusnet launched partner services in 2008 and over the last three years has seen its customer base grow to over 250. Plusnet CEO, Jamie Ford said, "We're very proud of the fact this client base has matured through recommendation alone, based upon our technical expertise and unrivalled customer service."
Plusnet Partner provides a pay-as-you-grow, managed broadband solution over its 21CN enabled network to resellers who need Broadband as part of their overall portfolio without the costs of becoming an ISP in their own right. Their solution is driven by cost efficiencies, traffic prioritisation, bespoke product design and unrivalled customer service.
With FTTC and FTTP soon to be added to the Partner portfolio, Plusnet will focus many of its exciting growth ambitions for 2011 within the reseller channel.
For more information go to - www.plus.net or meet Plusnet at their stand at the ISPA Awards on the 7th July - www.ispaawards.org.uk.
Magrathea on VoIP Security
The constantly evolving and increasingly sophisticated risks to network integrity mean that system security is quickly becoming one of the most influential factors when developing a network. VoIP has a very different architecture than traditional circuit-based telephony, and these differences can result in significant security issues.
The core strength of an IP network comes from its own firewalls and gateways. Regular updates will ensure that these offer optimal protection. Internal monitoring and reporting of the network will also give warnings and show any unusual traffic patterns.
When choosing a supplier you should consider how their network can enhance your own procedures. A conscientious supplier will offer features like tariffs that are tailored to your needs so limiting the exposure if your network is breached and real time fraud monitoring along with regular reviews of known target revenue generating ranges.
For more information go to - www.magrathea-telecom.co.uk or on 0845 004 0040 or meet Magrathea at the ISPA Awards on the 7th July -www.ispaawards.org.uk.
ISPA in the News
ISPA was quoted in the news on issues including blocking, online parental controls, malware and copyright infringement.
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