BBC Introduces New Website for Children Under 12

During his keynote address at Children’s Global Media Summit in Manchester, BBC Director-General Tony Hall unveiled the broadcaster’s plans to launch a brand-new website for kids under 12 called Own It.

Own It will give impressionable young visitors a safe digital space where they can build their confidence navigating the internet without being exposed to such online threats as inappropriate content and cyberbullying. The site, which becomes available tomorrow, is specifically meant for children between the ages of 9 and 12.

“That’s an age group we know are particularly affected by the day-to-day pressures and dilemmas of life online,” Hall said in his speech. “And it offers them guidance on what they say they want help with.

“It’s called Own It because it’s there to help them take control and be the boss of their online lives.

“We’re delivering it in partnership with a whole range of organizations in the field of child internet safety, and it’s all supported by an ‘engine room’ of expert advisors—doctors and academics who are specialists in this field.

“Our goal is to create a one-stop shop, where children can find everything they need to navigate their lives online with confidence and positivity.”

The launch of Own It will be followed by other kid-focused initiatives from the BBC, which has committed to making a £34 million investment in children’s content and services over the next three years.