The Big Question

Karen Shook – Disability equality adviser
The internet can be dangerous. The beheading video of Ken Bigley in Iraq was a popular Google search last year. I doubt if anyone moderates the suicide chatrooms – adults have a responsibility to control what their kids have access to and should be educated about programmes that limit their access.

Kerry Evans – Parent of two severely autistic children
I am against “censoring” websites. Children spending long hours in front of a PC, who are already depressed, can become more insular. Young people should be encouraged to use their PCs socially.  Maybe such addresses should only be legal if they carry information about crisis advice lines.

Angie Lawrence – Single mother
Information on methods of suicide is readily available on the internet as are graphic pictures of the results of various methods. While this may encourage children to consider the matter, most would gain the help that would prevent them from taking their lives. To withhold access to such information would be too difficult.

Richard West – Inspired Services
It depends on whether the computer is being used by the kids without mum and dad supervising. We are all responsible for making sure that children are protected from people who would take advantage of them. Parents and carers need to check up on what their children are downloading. What are the software giants doing to help solve this problem?