TV's Tanya investigates video nasties

Byron review - is the government consulting on poetry? It's about child behaviour, not Childe Harold. As part of the forthcoming Children's Plan, the Prime Minister announced that clinical psychologist and TV presenter Dr Tanya Byron would head an independent review with two broad objectives: to investigate the risks to children of exposure to potentially harmful or inappropriate material involving new technology, and to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of existing measures to prevent and manage the risks of access to these materials.

Does this mean pornographic, hate-based, or how-to-build-a-bomb type materials? That's probably the extreme end of "inappropriate" and may be illegal. The review is not trying to repeat work already covered by legislation, enforcement measures and regulatory guidelines. It's looking at how children use new technology and focuses on two ways of accessing material: video gaming and internet use. It begins by stating that "risks are a reality of life" and that "play and exploration are essential to healthy child development". Of course, new technologies can offer a number of benefits. However, while recognising that children must learn to understand and respond to potential risks, it asserts that some levels of risk are unacceptable.