The document discusses efforts in Japan to create a safe internet environment for children. It outlines the Act on Development of Internet Environment for Young People, which aims to improve ICT literacy and promote filtering services. The key government initiatives include improving literacy through educational courses and promoting safer filtering options for mobile phones. An assessment called ILAS measures Japanese students' internet literacy abilities. Finally, the document discusses the Safer Internet of Japan organization, which conducts awareness campaigns, encourages private sector efforts, and shares knowledge to help create a safer online environment.

1. Undertakings toward
developing a safe internet environment for children in
Japan
Yuji Sonoda
Deputy Director, Telecommunications Consumer Policy Division
Telecommunications Bureau
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
JAPAN

2. 1 Main efforts by concerned parties ーAct on Development of Internet Environment for
Young Peopleー
Act on Development of Internet Environment for Young People
◆The Act on Development of an Environment that Provides Safe and Secure Internet Use for Young People (“Act on
Development of Internet Environment for Young People”) was enforced on April 1, 2009.
◆By improving ICT literacy and promoting filtering, etc. as 2 pillars for developing a safe internet environment for young
people, concrete activities by both the government and private sector will be promoted.
Fundamental principles
Initiative by the private
Improving ICT literacy Promoting filtering, etc. sector (with Government
support)
Government Private sector
Mobile phone
The Headquarters for the Promotion of carriers
Development and Support for Children and Internet service Mandatory supply of
filtering services (with
Young People providers some conditions)
PC makers
Formulation Obligation to make
Filtering
Young people
Support
efforts for
developers/ development
Basic plan suppliers
-Basic policy
-Education and awareness raising concerning the Obligation to make
adequate ability to utilize the Internet Server efforts to prevent
-Improvement of performance/diffusion of administrators browsing
of harmful information
filtering services
-Support for the private sector’s efforts, etc.
Obligation to make
Other parties efforts for education,
concerned etc.
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3. 2 Main initiatives of the MIC as regards preparation of an Internet environment for
young people
○Improving ICT literacy
In order to overcome the risks that ICT use entails and ensure that young people can enjoy ICT use as much as
possible, it is necessary to improve ICT literacy among young people and their parents. Especially in the age of
the smart phone, it is essential that users acquire an even higher level of literacy.
Educational courses have been implemented mainly for parents and teachers (e-net safety courses) across the
nation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and
telecommunication-related organizations, etc. (“e-Net Caravan) (Implementation result in FY2011: 900)
The dissemination and educational activities (such as symposiums and workshops) of “The Safer Internet of
Japan” have been supported. (Implementation result in FY2011: 16)
○Promoting improvement and diffusion of filtering
Restricting access to internet content that is harmful to young people is primarily a parental role. However, in
the case of mobile phones, which are difficult for parents to monitor, filtering is applied unless the parents
request non-use of filtering.
 cooperation with mobile phone carriers and third party organizations that provide screening of sites
In
harmful to young people, the supply of diverse filtering services, such as customized functions of mobile phone
filtering, will be promoted.
Based on the agreement among related ministries, the diffusion of filtering will be promoted by requiring
mobile phone carriers to reinforce explanations to parents, etc. (Number of users of mobile phone filtering
service as of the end of December 2011: approx. 8.23 million)
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4. 3-1 Literacy indicator for young people’s safe and secure utilization of the internet
-ILAS (Internet Literacy Assessment indicator for Students)-
ILAS
ILAS
Abilitiessrequired
Analysis of the pre-test (year 2011)
Digitalization All： approximately 550 young people
of the Average score：73 out of 100
abilities by General
the test
100 1a Illegal content
3b Security
0
3a Privacy risks 1b Harmful
content
2c Inappropriate 2a Inappropriate
usage
2b Improper contact
transactions
Comparison and analysis of
abilities digitalized
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5. 3-2 The development process of ILAS
Online Risk Categorization Literacy to bebe acquired (examples)
《literacy to acquired》（examples）
(based on OECD report’s categorization)
Major Category Medium Category Sub-Category
Knowledge(●) Behavior(○)
[Principles]
I A Copyrights, portrait ●Understand that smartphones are
rights, criminal
Illegal & Illegal content threats, dating sites,
advanced mobile phones with computer-level
advanced information processing functions,
Harmful etc. and that many functions are offered via
Content Risks B Content offensive to applications (software).
public order and ●Understand that some smartphone
Harmful content morality, adults-only applications automatically send out private
content, etc. and/or personal information.
●Understand that when downloading ○Download applications after
II A Libel smartphone applications, confirming their trustworthiness, etc.
●one must confirm the trustworthiness and ○Confirm what information applications
Inappropriate Inappropriate Anonymous SNS safety of the site and application supplier. access, and take appropriate measures
Usage Risks Contact Non-anonymous SNS (limit accessible information, etc.).
Spam
Applications (*)
B Fraud, sale of
improper products,
Improper Users can freely install applications to add functionality to their smartphone.
etc.
Transactions Which of the following items must the most amount of care be given to when
C Excess Internet use installing applications?
Inappropriate Dependence (1) The relationship between the application’s operational requirements and
Usage the items that appear under “access permission”
III A Leakage of private
(2) Evaluation from other users displayed on the installation screen
and/or personal
Privacy & Privacy Risks information,
Security Risks inappropriate
(3) Whether the application has been introduced in magazine articles, etc.
disclosure
B Impersonation
through unauthorized (4) The application’s rank in rankings published on the internet
Security Risks
access, etc.
Viruses
(*) Smartphone applications
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6. 4-1 The Safer Internet of Japan
《Key comments of the Safer Internet of Japan (http://good-net.jp/ )》
“The Safer Internet of Japan carries out three key activities which are indispensable for
providing conditions for safer use of the internet.
Firstly, we promote comprehensive activities to improve the ICT literacy of users, which include
awareness raising activities concerning the merits of the internet as well as the risks that using the
internet entails. Through such activities, we contribute to fostering children with the capacity to use
ICT as they like, patiently watched over by their parents .
Secondly, we encourage the private sector to implement voluntary activities. By formulating and
disseminating a voluntary charter on which private companies and other bodies can depend, we will
visualize a safer and securer internet environment.
Thirdly, we strive to put together all the knowledge concerning the provision of good conditions for
the use of the internet. We provide opportunities for discussion to share ideas and further innovation
among interested parties by collecting and introducing various activities of private companies
nationwide.
The Safer Internet of Japan, through such activities, is determined to contribute to providing
better conditions for internet use through the private initiatives.”
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7. 4-2 The Safer Internet of Japan
○ Outcomes of previous activities
Awareness-raising Activities
Users, industries and people from education gather in the Safer Internet of Japan. Thus the body can link activities
conducted so far by each group regarding the improvement of information morale and literacy. The body implements
all the activities under the shared goal of ‘Motto Good Net (Let’s make the internet better)’ for all the citizens.
To improve young people’s information morale, etiquette in using the internet, and literacy, the Safer Internet of
Japan has carried out symposia for parents and teachers and workshop for young people.
（１）Symposia for Parents and Teachers
Year Times held Participants
2009 20 6,600
2010 10 4,000
2011 12 5,600 ＜PTA Symposium in the Kinki district
＞
（２）Workshops for Young People
Year Times held Participants
2009 3 3,000
2010 3 3,600
2011 4 4,400 ＜Workshop Collection＞ ＜Kids Festa in Marunouchi＞
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8. 4-3 The Safer Internet of Japan
Topical Research and Investigation
The Safer Internet of Japan conducts necessary research and investigations to promote voluntary activities in the private
sector related to a safer and securer internet. It also examines new issues as they come up.
Working Group on Basic Issues
The body conducted large-scale questionnaires and statistical analysis on the topics of ‘Violence and bullying,’ ‘Sexual
behavior,’ ’Suicide,’ ‘Over Dependence.’
Working Group on Child Pornography
The body deliberately examined the legal and technological issues on the blocking of child pornography images, which is
one of the measures to limit access to such images. It contributes to providing conditions for effective blocking as a
voluntary activity of the private sector.
Working Group on Community Sites
The body conducted information sharing and examined effective measures regarding various issues arising from the use
of SNS and other communication sites.
Working Group on Smart phones (From October 2011)
The body shares information and examines issues on business activities on the safer smart phone use in cases like
Wireless LAN internet access or application use.
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