IWF 2008-10 Strategy Consultation
We are developing our three year strategic plan for 2008-10 as we look ahead to manage current and emerging demands and we are inviting comments on our draft goals and key priorities which will form the basis of our plan.
We are consulting key stakeholders in the successful UK partnership for tackling potentially illegal content online, especially child sexual abuse content, and inviting your comments and contributions.
Below is a draft which sets out our role, our perception of our key priorities and our key three-year goals, together with some early ideas of the activities we might embark on to achieve our goals. Linking from the plan is a consultation document containing some questions and we would be pleased to receive your feedback.
We would appreciate your comments by close of business on Monday 14th January 2008 and we look forward to hearing from you.
Please return the completed form to: secretariat@iwf.org.uk
Building our three year strategic business plan
We are inviting contributions and feedback from our key partners and other interested parties in order to help us develop our strategic plan for the next three years.
2 Background
Following reviews of the governance arrangements for our Board and Funding Council an independent consultant was then commissioned to undertake an organisational and effectiveness review to enable the executive to reorganise its resources to manage current and emerging demands over the next three years.
3 Headline Findings
- Uniform support for IWF’s current remit and role and the success it has achieved
- IWF is respected for this success and for the way it manages its relationships with partners and stakeholders
- General agreement that IWF should continue to provide its hotline, notice and take-down services
- Emerging discussion amongst industry partners about how IWF can ‘remain relevant’, given:
- the levels of success it has achieved with content hosted in the UK (i.e. how much more can be done, where’s the added value?)
- that new (content) challenges are arising now or are on the horizon
- Clear majority view that IWF’s independence is crucial
- Broad consensus that IWF should take on a more pro-active role – of a research/policy nature
- No clear view on whether a higher ‘public’ profile would benefit IWF, its work or its partners as some contributors felt that IWF’s work should remain ‘discreet’ whilst others were calling for more profile
- The current staff and management reporting arrangements have worked well but are not sustainable given the squeeze this is putting on the CEO’s time and priorities
- The overall level and balance of human resource are not optimal at this time
4 Headline Analysis
- The reputation of IWF is extremely strong
- It is urged to ensure that it maintains its success with the Hotline and Notice and take-down services, as well as its “user-friendly” operating style
- There is evidence that the majority of key stakeholders and partners see a need for the Foundation to move on, by building on its successes to date
- There is broad agreement that ‘moving on’ would include the following:
- The development of a ‘research and policy development’ role – specifically, this should be a supporting, as opposed to, leading function
- The (potential) inclusion or exclusion of content in its remit such as child sexual abuse cartoons, extreme pornography but seeking to drop incitement to racial hatred.
- Using its successful work and models to influence policy/behaviour in other (key) parts of the world
5 Human Resources
The IWF operates with fourteen staff members.
6 Our current role
To foster trust and confidence in the Internet among current and future fixed and mobile internet users by:
- Operating a hotline to enable the public to report instances of potentially illegal child sexual abuse images hosted anywhere in the world and criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK, for example via websites, newsgroups, mobile services or other on-line services.
- Promoting wider education and awareness of its functions and role and those of other key players such as government departments, law enforcement and consumer bodies.
To assist service providers to combat the abuse of their systems for the dissemination of criminal content by:
- Operating a 'notice and take-down' service to alert hosting service providers of criminal content found on their servers.
- Recommending that internet service providers should not carry certain newsgroups in accordance with policy guidelines adopted by the IWF Board.
- Acting as a relevant authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Section 46 Sexual Offences Act 2003.
To assist law enforcement in the fight against criminal content on the Internet by:
- Combating the dissemination on the Internet of potentially illegal content i.e. sexually abusive images of children and criminally obscene and incitement to racial hatred content.
- Passing details of reports relating to potentially illegal child sexual abuse images hosted on servers outside the UK to the relevant national hotline or appropriate UK law enforcement agency.
- Working closely with the police, lending its expertise to help trace the individuals responsible for such criminal activity online.
7 Our proposed Goals
Our proposed goals, key priorities and some of the activities we will undertake to achieve our goals over the next three years are shown below.
8 Your input
The IWF Board consider that it is important to gather the views of our partners and stakeholders as we formulate our plans. We are inviting you to comment on the goals and priorities and would be delighted to receive your input via the consultation response form here. Please fill out this form and email it to secretariat@iwf.org.uk. Please note that the closing date for comments is Monday 14th January 2008.
9 Contact information
For further information please contact:
Brian Wegg, Head of Secretariat by mailto:secretariat@iwf.org.uk
Internet Watch Foundation
5 Coles Lane
Oakington
Cambridge CB24 3BA
Tel: 01223 237700
Goal 1 - Maintain and strengthen the effectiveness of IWF
Priorities
- Maintain and improve effectiveness of current services
- Re-model staffing and resources framework to deliver optimum organisational capacity in support of strategic goals
- Renew and strengthen governance arrangements between the IWF Board and the Funding Council
- Strengthen performance and risk monitoring
- Ensure financial sustainability in the medium term (1-3 years)
Possible activities to underpin the priorities in year 1 might include
- Developing a dynamic funding model in conjunction with the Industry/Funding Council to reflect fluctuations in the online environment
- Maintain and enhance levels of service to members, the public and relevant stakeholders
- Consider opportunities to develop an income generation programme
- Introduce a cost improvement programme
- Provide regular financial information to Board and Audit Committee to ensure full visibility and accountability
- Develop new Capacity Model and supporting strategies (e.g. IM&T, HR)
- Develop a new suite of KPIs
- Reduce pressures in key staff areas and prioritise custom facing activity
Goal 2 - Sustain and develop the role and influence of IWF in a managed, effective and value-added way
Priorities
- Establish an internal research and policy development capability
- Widen the international reach, take-up and impact of IWF’s service models
- Develop remit, to adopt or drop potentially illegal content such as extreme pornography, child sexual abuse cartoons and omit incitement to racial hatred
- Strive to build visibility and awareness amongst online consumers of IWF’s role and remit
- Deliver relevant, flexible and clear messages related to role and remit to the public and other key stakeholders as the landscape changes.
- Sustain and develop positive relationships with Government and Law Enforcement Agencies
Possible activities to underpin the priorities in year 1 might include
- Agree medium term targets and critical success factors for research and policy service
- Agree parameters and protocols with key partners about outreach activities
- Develop unique datasets to improve information and trend reports to our stakeholders and relevant bodies at home and abroad
- Agree with partners and stakeholders what should be included in any future remit discussions
- Agree appropriate profile in consultation with stakeholders
- Engage with the media to promote positive stories
- Enhance website information
- Develop relationships with relevant Government departments, MP’s and officials with regards to IWF operating model and transferability
- Nurture relationships with Law Enforcement agencies.
- Participate in the various multi agency fora such as Home Secretary’s Task Force, ICF and CCAI groups
- Actively contribute at INHOPE and other international forums within remit
Page Created: Mon, December 10th, 2007
Page Modified: Wed, December 12th, 2007
