Microsoft is launching a child friendly browser

Microsoft, in association with Ceop, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, has launched a family-friendly version of its IE 8. The new internet Explorer offers a number of safety features specially designed to make parents feel better about leaving their kids alone in a darkened room with nothing but a computer for company.The help tools include advice on what to do about viruses, and also about tackling hacking and problems with mobile browsers.

In addition, this ‘Click Clever, Click Safe’ browser also offers a number of reporting tools that users can employ to flag inappropriate material or report incidents of online bullying. If you do not want to download a fresh new version of the browser, there is another option. Microsoft said “a ‘web slice’ feature can be used to add a bookmark function to the service,” which will notify the user about any updates to their favorite pages.

Chief executive at CEOP, Jim Gamble said, “Internet safety advice needs to be at your fingertips and not hidden away. Parents and children should not have to go searching through numerous web pages to find the help they need. We again applaud Microsoft for this development in child safety and look forward to working with other browser developers to make an even safer online environment for our children.”

Matthew Bishop, business and marketing officer at Microsoft, added, “As a father myself, online safety is an issue very close to my heart. Internet Explorer 8 Click Clever Click Safe has been designed with the sole purpose of providing young people and parents with easy ways of finding information on how to stay safer online. As more and more young people are learning, playing and communicating online, it is vital we provide the appropriate safety information as we know this is one of the most effective ways of helping to protect people.”