September 2004
UK IT Professionals Research Awareness and Understanding of the Sexual Offences Act (SOA) 2003
Objective
To provide some factual research upon which to base and tailor a marketing campaign designed to promote awareness of the IWF, the SOA 2003 and the implications of the MoU for IT Professionals.
To provide some factual research upon which to base and tailor a marketing campaign designed to promote awareness of the IWF, the SOA 2003 and the implications of the MoU for IT Professionals.
Brief
To establish current levels of awareness of the SOA 2003, with specific reference to S.45 & s. 46, amongst UK IT professionals in a range of organisations.
To establish current levels of awareness of the SOA 2003, with specific reference to S.45 & s. 46, amongst UK IT professionals in a range of organisations.
Background
The SOA 2003 was devised to provide IT Professionals with a conditional defence for viewing and holding illegal child abuse images found on company networks on the basis that they are to be used as evidence and forwarded to the relevant agency for assessment and investigation in a timely manner. Prior to this legislation, it was an offence to view an illegal image whatever the reason.
The SOA 2003 was devised to provide IT Professionals with a conditional defence for viewing and holding illegal child abuse images found on company networks on the basis that they are to be used as evidence and forwarded to the relevant agency for assessment and investigation in a timely manner. Prior to this legislation, it was an offence to view an illegal image whatever the reason.
For the full IWF press release, click here.
Methodology
The research was based around 10 multi-choice questions
The raw target data came from the VNU publication; IT Week and was made up of their subscribers/readers.
IT Week was the most appropriate trade publication for our target audience and provided valid and up-to-date raw data.
The research was based around 10 multi-choice questions
The raw target data came from the VNU publication; IT Week and was made up of their subscribers/readers.
IT Week was the most appropriate trade publication for our target audience and provided valid and up-to-date raw data.
This list of target participants was developed on the basis of job descriptions:
- Overall Head of IT
- CIO
- CTO
- IT Management
- Systems Development Management
- Network Management
- Technical/User Support Management
- Security Management
- Other: System Administrator
And cross referenced with size of company:
- 5000+
- 2000-4999
- 1000-1999
- 500-999
- 200-499
- 100-199
- 50-99
- 1-49
From this data, we commissioned 1,000 completed surveys. It was decided that this was a suitably sized sample which would give some weight to the figures and provide a reasonable cross-section of IT Professionals in terms of job role and size of company.
Telemarketing was judged to be the most appropriate method to collect this information; based on the nature and topic of the questions and should more information and/or reassurance be required.
The company we used to conduct the research was Blue Donkey
For how we used this information, see campaigns
For how we used this information, see campaigns
Results:
Are you responsible for the integrity and security of your organisations internet use?
Yes: 84%
No: 1.5%
Some of it: 14.5%
Does your organisation have an acceptable internet use policy in place?
Yes:90%
No:7%
Currently under review:2%
Don’t know:Less than 1%
Yes:90%
No:7%
Currently under review:2%
Don’t know:Less than 1%
Do you understand what constitutes a potentially illegal indecent image of child online?
Yes:68%
No:30%
I could probably recognise some type of illegal content but not all: 2%
Yes:68%
No:30%
I could probably recognise some type of illegal content but not all: 2%
Do you have specific policies for dealing with potentially illegal indecent images of children found on your servers or on user desktops?
Yes:65%
No:30%
Currently under review:3
Don’t know:2%
Yes:65%
No:30%
Currently under review:3
Don’t know:2%
Do you or your systems staff view internet sites or content for internal monitoring/regulation purposes?
Yes:63%
No:27%
Sporadically:10%
Yes:63%
No:27%
Sporadically:10%
What action would be taken if you found potentially illegal indecent images of children on an employee’s PC or mobile?
Discipline or dismiss the employee: 70%
Copy/store the images as evidence: 1.5%
Report it to the police: 27%
Don’t know: 6%(more than one answer allowed)
Discipline or dismiss the employee: 70%
Copy/store the images as evidence: 1.5%
Report it to the police: 27%
Don’t know: 6%(more than one answer allowed)
Are you aware of the recent amendment to the Sexual Offences Act and how this legislation relates to you and your organisation in terms of internet content?
Yes:13%
No:87%
Yes:13%
No:87%
Are you aware of the personal implications to you, your staff and your organisation for improper handling of potentially illegal indecent images of children?
Yes:57%
No:43%
Yes:57%
No:43%
Have you heard of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
Yes:21%
No:79%
Yes:21%
No:79%
If yes, do you think IWF is a:
Public service hotline: 8%
Industry watchdog: 4%
Internet Safety organisation:29%
Don’t know: 42%
Misc:17%
Public service hotline: 8%
Industry watchdog: 4%
Internet Safety organisation:29%
Don’t know: 42%
Misc:17%
How important do you think ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ is to your organisation? (That is; How important is it that your organisation is seen to act responsibly and in the interest of it’s employees, stakeholders, customers & clients, the wider environment etc)
Very important:86%
Quite important:11.5%
Not very important:0.8%
Don’t understand what it is:1.7%
Very important:86%
Quite important:11.5%
Not very important:0.8%
Don’t understand what it is:1.7%
Overview
- Acceptable Internet Use policies are widespread
- Specific policies on child abuse images are fairly prevalent, but not as widespread
- There is a substantial level of monitoring internet content by IT staff
- There is some understanding around what constitutes an illegal image of a child, but lack of awareness around change in age (S.45)
- Disciplinary action on finding potentially illegal images of children on company servers/desktops remains predominantly internal; at the discretion of the company, not the police
- Extremely poor awareness of SOA 2003 although, somewhat confusingly, a fairly strong belief that the implications for improper handling of potentially illegal images are known and understood
- Very poor awareness of IWF
- The majority of participants who had heard of the IWF believed it to be an internet safety organisation
- Very large percentage believe Corporate Social Responsibility to be ‘very important’ to their company
Conclusions
- The majority of Senior IT Management personnel in the UK are aware of the need to have an Acceptable Internet Use policy in place, but some do not appear to believe it is as necessary to have specific policies and procedures in place to deal with child abuse images which might be found on their networks. This could be due to the fact that, until now, there have not been any clear guidelines on how to handle such images legitimately or perhaps because they feel an overall policy, in addition to internal filters, blocks, or restrictions on internet use, is enough to combat this type of misuse.
- The majority are not up-to-date or familiar with the law around this type of illegal content and therefore the criminality attached to it is diminished. This is especially apparent looking at the numbers of participants in the survey who would report such an incident to the police – less than 30%. This may be due to the stigma attached to such content and the perceived potential risks of association, to the entire company; brand, reputation etc.
- This research clearly demonstrates a lack of awareness and understanding around many issues of child abuse content online, including what constitutes potentially illegal images, what the relevant legislation is, whose responsibility it is to manage and oversee such content, how to handle such content, the penalties for inappropriate handling or condoning intentional viewing in the workplace and leaving it unreported.
- The nature of such online content remains controversial, unpleasant and disagreeable to many. Whilst not reported in this survey, it is probably fair to conclude that no company wishes to have, or acknowledge, any association with such images in any shape or form. This can create barriers to effective communication and interaction regarding recommendations for appropriate company policies and procedures.
- However, the majority of organisations do want to promote the fact or at least the perception, that they are responsible. That they are concerned about the impact their activities have on their staff, customers and the environment around them. Corporate Social Responsibility was regarding as ‘very important’ to 90% of survey participant companies.
- Until now, there has been no specific reason (other than through IWF Member companies) for the IWF to communicate directly to this audience. No marketing or promotional efforts or campaigns have been assigned in order to convey general or focused information.
- The release of the MoU is imminent and will provide clear guidelines for IT Managers, Systems Administrators, CIO’s, CTO’s etc to enable them to develop and implement appropriate internal procedures for handling this type of content. In addition to the LEA’s, the IWF is the named authority in place to accept reports of this nature.
Page Created: Fri, June 17th, 2005
Page Modified: Tue, April 18th, 2006
