J. EDGAR Hoover must be spinning in his grave. Not only has his former fiefdom, the FBI, got its own website - but it’s got one for children, too.
The CIA has a kids’ site, with useful information and a disguise-the-agent game. The White House has a virtual tour with the First Pets. The US Treasury has a children’s site, as does the American Air Force (with flying game). Even the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a jolly, information-packed kids’ zone.
And here? Downing Street has a children’s website which is short on pictures and fun. No virtual tour by Humphrey the Downing Street cat, bt perhaps that’s because he disappeared just after the election. Kids can write 250 words on being Prime Minister. It’s worthy.
And that’s it. Nothing for children from the Treasury, hardly anything from the Forces. MI5 doesn’t mention spying. MI6 doesn’t have a site.
This is significant because the Government made citizenship education compulsory in alarm at teenagers’ lack of political awareness. It also wants to lead the e-revolution.
Yet the American approach demonstrates real
commitment to civic education and open government via the web. We would do well to e-mulate it.
