Charity Warns on Downloads

Childnet is launching a campaign to warn kids about illegal music downloads.

We’ve had the stick approach to illegal music downloads – the music industry taking offenders to court – and now we’re getting the carrot.   The charity Childnet is launching a campaign in 21 different countries to warn kids of the dangers involved in those illegal downloads. Childnet, whose raison d’etre iskeeping kids safe online, will send out pocket-sized pamphlets to schools and colleges.   It’s part of a new strategy spearhead by the music industry, and supported by Pro-music, theinternational alliance of music sector groups. The guide, entitled Young People, Music and the Internet, aims to help young people use the Internet and mobile phones safely and legally to downloadmusic.   Stephen Carrick-Davies, Chief Executive of Childnet, said:   “For millions of children and teenagers, the possibilities and the risks of using the Internet and mobile phonesstarts with the experience of accessing music online. That’s why we’ve worked with the music industry to produce this guide especially for parents and teachers so that they can bettersupport young people. There are so many wonderful online music services but there are risks to children including breach of copyright the threat of viruses, loss of privacy and security. This guidewill be of practical help to parents and explain how their children can obtain music legally and safely and get the very best out of the internet.”    Pro-music is launching a newsite to coincide with this push, which will aim to be the largest repository for legal online music stores, but will now also include: new monthly digitalcharts from around the world; information and advice for those wanting to make it in the music business in the digital era; education tools and resources from around the world to inform parents,teachers, young people, budding artists, business and university administrations, the media and student researchers.