Get Safe Online initiative 'under-resourced'

09 November 2011

By Zahid Mahmood

Additional funding is required for the Get Safe Online initiative to develop further and meet the needs of its users, the Commons Science and Technology Committee has heard.

MPs on the committee voiced their concerns on whether there was sufficient advice online for the average user to ensure their safety when browsing.

Professor Peter Sommer from the London School of Economics told the committee that there was need for a government sponsored education programme facility; a function he said was now being carried out by the Get Safe Online scheme.

But he warned that there were a number of problems with the initiative, mainly financially focused.

"The trouble is it's not very well resourced, it's a bit of a gesture, its run by a former police officer, it's a virtual organization, it has no premises," he said.

He added: "The website is very generic, and does not always reflect the latest range of risks.

"You could say that one needs to spend more money…in fact the money which has been spent could be wasted, because at a lower level it can't be effective as it could be."

Get Safe Online is a joint initiative from the government, law enforcement, businesses and public sector organisations that was set up to provide free and independent advice to internet users on how to access the internet securely and safely.

The initiative has now put in a bid for funding from the £650m cyber security fund that was set aside in George Osborne's spending review to improve the UK's cyber protection.