The world’s first Parental Control & Internet Security software specifically designed for today’s broadband family is launched

iomart Group plc (“iomart”) launched their new “NetIntelligence Home Edition” Parental Control & Internet Security Software at yesterday’s Barnardo’s “Just One Click in Scotland: Promoting the Safety of Children Online” conference in Edinburgh. The pioneering conference was organised by Barnardo’s to look at issues around growing numbers of children who are being groomed and abused through the internet and camera phones.

NetIntelligence is the world’s first Parental Control and Security software designed for today’s broadband technology. Parents will be able to record chat/instant messaging conversations, block sexually explicit or otherwise harmful websites, stop viruses, and monitor computer usage both on and off line.

“NetIntelligence Home Edition” is the first user friendly software than includes all these features, and will allow even technical beginners to monitor the time their children spend on the family PC.

Installed on up to 3 separate computers per family, NetIntelligence utilises the ‘Always On’ properties of broadband connections - by constantly ‘communicating’ with its Central Databases to monitor, take appropriate actions and report on any harmful activity that it has detected.

The Databases currently contain over 30 million inappropriate web sites, files and images including sites classified as illegal by the Internet Watch Foundation. Using an incredibly simple, but powerful, online Control Centre, parents can create and apply web access/blocking rules, create totally safe internet zones for their children, and view all of their reports including: web sites visited, blocked web site attempts, computer & application usage and instant messenger sessions.

Parents will get an instant snapshot of all activities carried out on the machine, identify any areas of immediate concern, and be able to drill down from a week to a day, from a total view to an individual level - all with a simple click of the mouse. As the information is refreshed every minute - parents have as near to ‘real time view’ as is possible.

Angus MacSween, CEO, of iomart commented: “Most parents are aware that the Internet can be unsafe and are genuinely concerned for their children's welfare, they just do not know how to address the issues or where to turn to for help. By combining Anti Virus, Web Blocking & Filtering, Email protection, Application usage, and Instant Messenger monitoring into one easy to use software solution, we have taken a huge step, with NetIntelligence Home Edition, in providing parents with the complete solution.”

Peter Robbins, CEO, of The Internet Watch Foundation commented: “As an IWF member we are pleased to be able to offer iomart the use of our URL database for inclusion in their new filtering product.  All internet users, especially children are entitled to an abuse-free online environment and it is important that internet services and products make it easy as possible for consumers to control their experience of the world-wide web.”

At yesterday’s event, attended by prominent members of both the voluntary and public sector, NetIntelligence Home Edition was fully demonstrated and attracted much interest, particularly its ease of use, its comprehensive web blocking capabilities, and its ‘chat’ recording functionality. Available on a 14 free trial basis, with a 12 month license costing only £2.99 per month or £29.99 per annum, NetIntelligence Home edition provides a very cost effective solution for parent’s peace of mind.

Angus MacSween added: “We believe that with NetIntelligence we can change the maxim ‘always on - always vulnerable’ to ‘always on - always protected’”

NetIntelligence Home is available to download on a 14 Day trial basis from www.netintelligence.com/home

-ENDS-

For further information, please contact:
Phil Worms
iomart Group plc - pressoffice@iomart.com
T: 0141 931 7000

Fay MacDonald
IWF - media@iwf.org.uk      
T: 01223 237 700                                               

Notes:
About iomart & NetIntelligence
1. iomart, founded in 1998, is an AIM listed public company (London: IOM). iomart serves two distinct markets: Enterprise Security through its NetIntelligence Software & web services through it’s subsidiary, iomart internet Ltd.
2. NetIntelligence Home Edition is available for on a free 14 day trial basis. For a launch period of 3 months (ends 31st January 2005) a 12 month NetIntelligence Home License - covering 3 machines - will be available for £2.99 per month or £29.99 per year. After this period, the product’s RRP will be £4.99 per month or £49.99 one off annual payment.
3. NetIntelligence Home Edition incorporates an Anti Virus solution provided by Kaspersky Labs. The AV Element of the product will not be activated until completion of the 14 day free trial.
4. NetIntelligence is designed to work on 3 separate computers which are controlled centrally via the Online Control Centre. Rules and policies can be applied up to 6 individual users per machine giving a maximum total of 18 per NetIntelligence Home Edition License.
5. NetIntelligence Home is designed for Windows XP Home Edition, XP Office Edition, ME & 2000 only.

About the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
1. The IWF is the only authorised organisation in the UK which provides an internet ‘hotline’ for the public to report their exposure to illegal content online.
2. The IWF aims to minimise the availability of potentially illegal internet content that specifically; child abuse images hosted anywhere in the world, criminally obscene content hosted in the UK & criminally racist content hosted in the UK.
3. The 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.
4. The IWF is funded by the EU and the UK internet industry including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Mobile Operators & manufacturers, Content Service Providers (CSPs) and telecommunications & software companies.
5. Through the hotline reporting system, we help ISPs to combat abuse of their services by operating a ‘notice and take down’ service which alerts them to any illegal content found on their system and we assess material reported to us and pass on any relevant details to Law Enforcement Agencies. As a result, the amount of illegal content hosted in the UK has been reduced from 18% in 1997 to less than 1% in 2003.