Social Networking and Mobile Solutions Provider Joins the IWF



Social Networking and Mobile Solutions Provider Virtual Universe Joins 70 Organisations to Combat Illegal Content Online

London, UK -/March 15, 2007 - Wi-Fi Technology News/- Virtual Universe has become a member of the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), joining leading internet, IT, mobile and media organisations in the fight to minimise the availability of potentially illegal internet content.

Virtual Universe is a leading provider of social networking services, infrastructure and content to companies and consumers. For businesses seeking to monetize content and add interactivity into their online communities, Virtual Universe offers micropayment solutions, along with mobile applications and turnkey social networking and dating services with around-the-clock moderation.

Managing Director of Virtual Universe, Derek Byrne, said "The advent of Web 2.0 technologies and user-generated communities has given rise to a new level of interactivity on the internet. Brands and consumers around the globe are enjoying the benefits of this increased engagement. The Internet Watch Foundation has been incredibly effective at eradicating illegal images hosted in the UK, as well as providing a ?Hotline? which gives consumers a fast and easy way to report potentially illegal online content. We?re pleased to be part of the organisation and its efforts in making the internet a safer place for everyone.?

Peter Robbins, CEO, IWF, said: ?The IWF?s achievements are testament to an outstanding partnership approach, securing support from the internet and mobile industry, public, Government, police and many others. Virtual Universe, with it?s expertise in mobile marketing and social networking, will be a valuable addition to our organisation.?

Virtual Universe?s involvement with the IWF continues the company?s tradition of working with organisations to educate consumers on safe practices around new interactive technologies. Last year, Virtual Universe partnered with Childnet International to develop a mobile application featuring Childnet?s ?Friend or Foe? interactive mobile quiz. Using Virtual Universe?s Pocket Portal on-phone mobile application, the quiz helps to teach teens about the perils of interacting with others via the internet and mobile phones, along with tips for keeping personal details confidential and avoiding potentially risky situations.

About Virtual Universe
Virtual Universe provides cutting edge social networking services, infrastructure and content to companies and consumers.

The company is known as a pioneer in leveraging the latest technologies to build exciting interactive communities. Today, the company creates social networks which enable consumers to connect anytime and anyway ? online and via their mobile or landline phones.

Virtual Universe is part of The Amplefuture Group. Founded in 1995 and based in London, the Amplefuture Group of companies has worked with market leading brands including Emap, Nestle, MTV, AOL, MSN, BSkyB, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Wanadoo and Tiscali. Virtual Universe also offers customer support, micropayments via phone/IVR and moderation and monitoring via Ampay, another company in the Amplefuture Group.

About the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
The IWF is the only authorised organisation in the UK operating an internet ?Hotline? for the public and IT professionals to report their exposure to potentially illegal content online.

The aim of the Internet Watch Foundation is to minimise the availability of potentially illegal internet content, specifically:
? child abuse images hosted anywhere in the world
? criminally obscene content hosted in the UK
? incitement to racial hatred content hosted in the UK

IWF works in partnership with UK Government departments such as the Home Office and the Department of Trade and Industry to influence initiatives and programmes developed to combat online abuse. This dialogue goes beyond the UK and Europe, to ensure greater awareness of global issues and responsibilities.

IWF is funded by the EU and the UK internet industry including internet service providers (ISPs), mobile operators and manufacturers, content service providers (CSPs) and telecommunications & software companies.

Through the Hotline reporting system, IWF helps ISPs to combat abuse of their services through a ?notice and take-down? service by alerting them to any potentially illegal content on their systems and simultaneously inviting the police to investigate the publisher.

As a result, only 0.4% of potentially illegal content is apparently hosted in the UK, down from 18% in 1997.

Please note that the terms "child pornography" or "child porn" can act to legitimise images which are not pornography. Rather, they are permanent records of children being sexually abused and as such should be referred to as child abuse images.