Cable & Wireless launches SafeNet |01 March 2013

Education Minister Macsuzy Mondon was present in her capacity as chairperson of the National Council for Children (NCC) which has for the last five years been actively engaged in a ‘safe technology campaign’ to protect children on-line. 

Minister Mondon said this is an admirable mission but it is also a daunting one that the NCC cannot accomplish alone.

“It is heartening to note that we do have partners and that Cable & Wireless is one of the service providers that have been part of this campaign from day one.

“As we are well aware, in spite of the benefits that can be derived from using the internet, the dangers associated with using it are real and children, in particular, are quite vulnerable.  Thus, it is our responsibility as a nation to protect our children at all cost,” said Minister Mondon.

She added that child protection should be the business of all adults but parents, teachers, child protection agencies, legal entities are among those who should be at the forefront of this struggle to make the internet safe for children.

“We may not realise it but our children continue to access the internet at incredibly young ages, some as young as three or four years old and by the time they are 10 years old, a lot of them have already been exposed to undesirable adult content with or without their parents’ knowledge,” continued Minister Mondon, who added that parents are not completely powerless and there is a lot that can be done to mitigate the situation.

She noted that as a society, as a country that puts children and youth at the centre of development, we need to strengthen our partnerships to protect our children from the harmful effects of cybercrime, especially the disgusting pornography and sexual exploitation that has become so popular on-line. 

“You will agree that it is harder to teach a student who has been exposed to pornographic materials from a portable device during break time because the child will retain these images in the mind. This could lead to discipline problems in class, in addition to more long-term emotional and psychological impacts,” added the minister.

She also commended Cable & Wireless for the level of responsibility demonstrated, noting the company is not only providing free internet access to schools but is also working hand in hand with the Ministry of Education to ensure that the internet remains safe for our children. 

“By bringing SafeNet within our reach, Cable & Wireless is again showing its solidarity with the NCC, with parents, with the Ministry of Education and with all other stakeholders and champions of child protection,” she added.

Cable & Wireless chief executive Charles Hammond said the company’s SafeNet service will ensure internet safety which is the knowledge of minimising internet user’s personal safety and security risks on private information and property associated with using the internet, and the self-protection from computer crime in general.

What is SafeNet?
SafeNet is a special internet content filtering tool designed to provide and/or enhance your home with a safe and secured internet experience. SafeNet is an add-on, optional service available to Cable & Wireless postpaid broadband internet customers. It provides comprehensive web filtering and security options. You get peace of mind as your home becomes a safer environment for internet use.

Main features
The service targets a range of web-based threats and security concerns such as:

1. Web/URL Filtering – This service employs the latest range of web-filtering technologies, running in real-time mode and automatically updated, enabling you to control access to all web content.

2. Anti-Virus & Malware – With the incorporation of dynamic anomaly detection and behavioural modelling systems, your home is guarded from viruses, botnets, spyware, browser exploits and other web threats. 

3. Application Control – Gain control over popular web applications such as social networking, on-line gaming, streaming media and web-based messaging.

4. Bandwidth Control – Manage your Internet usage and control unnecessary traffic. 

5. Data Leakage Prevention – Control the distribution of sensitive data or private information via the web. The service enables you to control who can upload important files, as well as types of files that can be uploaded.  

How to subscribe to the service?
After choosing your desired package, simply complete an application form and submit to any Cable & Wireless customer services centre.
Note: Business customers should contact Cable & Wireless’ corporate sales office for business solutions (refer to “Business Solutions” for more information).

Business solutions
Protect every computer in your organisation!
Productivity can be affected by internet distractions while privacy and confidentiality can easily be compromised. Data leakages readily occur in a business environment and unchecked bandwidth usage can reduce the performance of business critical applications that potentially run up large unbudgeted expenses.

An advanced SafeNet solution will enable your organisation to experience secure internet use, free from threats and malware, while ensuring that internet use is appropriate and compliant with your company’s acceptable usage policy.

Contact our corporate sales office on 4284012 or e-mail corporatesales@cwseychelles.com to discuss a solution for your organisation.

Compiled by G. G.