Manchester Airports Group (MAG) introduces certified ‘Friendly WiFi’ across its airports
WiFi scheme will now ensure content is appropriate for all ages at the Group’s airports at Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands
MAG is the first airport group to sign-up to the Government-backed scheme
MAG has become the first airport operator in the UK to be certified as offering safe, child-friendly WiFi to its passengers.
The move means that passengers at all its airport will now have the ultimate reassurance that the airport’s free WiFi network will filter out inappropriate content, so they can be confident that it is safe for children to use.
The certification has been carried out by Friendly WiFi - the government-initiated standard for public WiFi. It was launched in 2014 to ensure public Wi-Fi meets minimum filtering standards, particularly in those areas where children are present.
Friendly WiFi was launched with the support of the government to ensure public WiFi meets minimum filtering standards, particularly in those areas where children are present. Venues displaying the Friendly WiFi symbol have WiFi filters which deny access to inappropriate content, including indecent images and advertisements or links to such content.
Tim Hawkins, Chief Strategy Officer at MAG, said: “More and more of the 62 million passengers we welcome to our airports every year choose to connect to the free WiFi we offer, whether that’s to check flight details, catch up on emails or chat to friends and family before they fly.
“As I’m sure many parents know, children also want to use their connected devices when they are at the airport and as a Group we know that is our duty to keep them safe online. Friendly WiFi provides further reassurance to parents, and all our passengers, that they can browse safely.”
John Carr - Secretary of the UK's Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS) said: “Wi-Fi that meets minimum standards goes a long way to ensuring no-one is unsafe or uncomfortable as they travel.
“I would urge other airports and transport operators to follow the leads and sign up and become certified – to demonstrate to their customers that they take online safety equally seriously as they do operational safety.”