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Dr O'Connell, considered to be one of Europe's foremost experts in internet safety, will report directly to CEO, Michael Birch and will focus on the area of Corporate & Social Responsibility for the company in the US and Europe. She will be leaving her current position as Director of the Cyberspace Research Centre, part of the Department for Forensic and Investigative Science at the University of Central Lancashire (UK), to join Bebo on 17th July 2006.
Having launched just twelve months ago in July 2005, Bebo is now the largest social networking site in the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand. It is also growing rapidly in its other core markets, the United States, Australia and Canada, with a total of 25 million registered members turning 3 billion monthly page views worldwide.
Bebo has taken the issues of privacy and safety very seriously since its inception and was one of the first social networking sites to partner with organisations like wiredsafety.org to create safety tips on issues such as cyberbullying and online safety. This appointment sees an important next stage in its ongoing safety strategy and is in-line with further technological advances which will be put in place in the forthcoming weeks to increase member safety.
Michael Birch, CEO and founder of Bebo commented: "Rachel is one of the world's leading authorities on internet safety and security and her knowledge and experience makes her perfectly positioned to help Bebo address these issues as it moves forward. We have always taken matters of privacy and internet safety very seriously and this appointment reconfirms Bebo's serious commitment to addressing these concerns." Birch added: "Bebo is going from strength to strength, and we are continuing to put in place the best possible team to improve our market-leadership position and set the standards for best practice, as we strive to make Bebo the number-one social networking site."
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Notes to Editor
Dr Rachel O'Connell:
Dr O'Connell's experience includes more than 7 years of involvement in researching how various end-users use new and emerging technologies - and she has gone on to use this evidence base in the development of programmes designed to educate and empower children, young people and adults in various capacities (e.g. parents, teachers, social workers etc) with the tools, knowledge and skills to navigate the internet safely.
Dr Rachel O'Connell has also been a key contributor to policy development with respect to Internet related issues in the UK, and most recently she has chaired the Public Awareness Group of the Home Secretary's Internet Task Force on Child Protection. In her capacity as chair of the Public Awareness Group Rachel facilitated a partnership approach between representatives from across the mobile and fixed internet industry, child welfare organisations, government, parent and teachers organisation to develop a web based programme of education on internet safety (see www.internetsafetyzone.com).
In addition to holding a seat on the Internet Strategy Group at the Department for Education & Skills (DfES) in the UK, she has co-ordinated pan-European projects designed to address internet safety related issues, funded by the European Commission.
Dr O'Connell has also been an advisor to the Council of Europe's, specialist media and communications policy group and has recently co-authored a book which addresses issues around human rights in the digital era.
Currently she heads up the UK's national internet safety node, based at the Cyberspace Research Unit.
BEBO.COM ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER
July 17, 2006
San Francisco, London - July 17, 2006: Bebo, the next generation social networking site, today announced the appointment of its new Chief Safety Officer, Dr Rachel O'Connell.Dr O'Connell, considered to be one of Europe's foremost experts in internet safety, will report directly to CEO, Michael Birch and will focus on the area of Corporate & Social Responsibility for the company in the US and Europe. She will be leaving her current position as Director of the Cyberspace Research Centre, part of the Department for Forensic and Investigative Science at the University of Central Lancashire (UK), to join Bebo on 17th July 2006.
Having launched just twelve months ago in July 2005, Bebo is now the largest social networking site in the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand. It is also growing rapidly in its other core markets, the United States, Australia and Canada, with a total of 25 million registered members turning 3 billion monthly page views worldwide.
Bebo has taken the issues of privacy and safety very seriously since its inception and was one of the first social networking sites to partner with organisations like wiredsafety.org to create safety tips on issues such as cyberbullying and online safety. This appointment sees an important next stage in its ongoing safety strategy and is in-line with further technological advances which will be put in place in the forthcoming weeks to increase member safety.
Michael Birch, CEO and founder of Bebo commented: "Rachel is one of the world's leading authorities on internet safety and security and her knowledge and experience makes her perfectly positioned to help Bebo address these issues as it moves forward. We have always taken matters of privacy and internet safety very seriously and this appointment reconfirms Bebo's serious commitment to addressing these concerns." Birch added: "Bebo is going from strength to strength, and we are continuing to put in place the best possible team to improve our market-leadership position and set the standards for best practice, as we strive to make Bebo the number-one social networking site."
- Ends -
Notes to Editor
Dr Rachel O'Connell:
Dr O'Connell's experience includes more than 7 years of involvement in researching how various end-users use new and emerging technologies - and she has gone on to use this evidence base in the development of programmes designed to educate and empower children, young people and adults in various capacities (e.g. parents, teachers, social workers etc) with the tools, knowledge and skills to navigate the internet safely.
Dr Rachel O'Connell has also been a key contributor to policy development with respect to Internet related issues in the UK, and most recently she has chaired the Public Awareness Group of the Home Secretary's Internet Task Force on Child Protection. In her capacity as chair of the Public Awareness Group Rachel facilitated a partnership approach between representatives from across the mobile and fixed internet industry, child welfare organisations, government, parent and teachers organisation to develop a web based programme of education on internet safety (see www.internetsafetyzone.com).
In addition to holding a seat on the Internet Strategy Group at the Department for Education & Skills (DfES) in the UK, she has co-ordinated pan-European projects designed to address internet safety related issues, funded by the European Commission.
Dr O'Connell has also been an advisor to the Council of Europe's, specialist media and communications policy group and has recently co-authored a book which addresses issues around human rights in the digital era.
Currently she heads up the UK's national internet safety node, based at the Cyberspace Research Unit.
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