In a global initiative to try and cut down the abuse of children through online chat rooms, police around the world are joining forces to patrol chat rooms and try to protect children. Officers from the UK's National Crime Squad (NCS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Interpol and the Australian Federal Police (AFP), will be working together to create the International Virtual Global Taskforce.
The idea is that the taskforce will be able to monitor chatrooms across the world on a round the clock basis, although the idea is not that officers will form some kind of big brother presence, prowling round chatrooms and interrupting people's chat, but rather they will be recognisable by an special icon which will appear in the chatroom. How quiet said chat room is likely to go after the appearance of this icon will remain to be seen.
NCS Assistant Chief Constable said the following about the new taskforce:
If a paedophile is grooming someone online and this icon appears, how comfortable do you think they are going to feel?
People feel safer when police are present. It's as simple as that. There is no 'big brother' initiative here. This is about reassurance through visibility
Well, we're all behind the idea of stopping the abuse of children, but exactly how far the authorities are going to intrude into people's private conversations in the name of child safety is yet to be seen. We'll have to wait and see how the online communities react to these ideas. Until then, we'll keep you posted.
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