Shropshire Star comment: Web giants must do more to protect us

The advent of the internet and it’s ubiquity has brought about a paradigm shift.

We no longer communicate in the way that we once did, either with our friends and families, our colleagues at work or casual acquaintances. The social fabric has been redesigned.

We shop, enjoy leisure time, date and reach out to others via wireless communications. Two generations ago, the lives we now lead would have been unthinkable.

With thank change has come great opportunity.

We can now speak to an expert in Australia in real time, where once we might have had to wait a week for a letter to arrive.

We can locate a particular fact or figure at the click of a mouse, where once we might have had to spend a day in a Library browsing an encyclopaedia.

And we can obtain help, advice and support that improves our health and emotional wellbeing by connected with special interest groups or professionals who wish us well.

Equally, the internet can present to us the very worst of humanity.

Nefarious individuals with criminal intent can hide behind a veil as they perpetrate misdeeds. Criminal gangs can engage in new types of crime from the safety of their screen.

And keyboard warriors can preach hate against minority groups while shrouding themselves with anonymity.

Frightening

The internet can be a most frightening place.

And that is precisely why web giants must do more to identify those who use the worldwide web with ill intent.

We do not simply mean they should work with police to root out the con artists, peadophiles, terrorists and criminal gangs.

More must be done to protect web users from bullies and cheats, from those who feel braver seated behind a keyboard than they would when face-to-face.

People who behave appalling must be apprehended. There is no place for dehumanising, demonising treatment online.

It must be brought to an end and web companies must take more responsibility.

There have been many recent suicides caused by online bullying or abusive behaviour. And the protection and safeguarding of our children is the most important priority.

What might not be acceptable in a classroom should not be acceptable online.

What might not be acceptable on a playground or social club should not be tolerated online.

Web giants are remarkably powerful and well-resourced. They must do more to protect our children.