Marek Kosycarz is Citizenship Director at Microsoft Sp. z o.o. He graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology, faculty of Mechatronics. He also holds MBA diploma from the Business School of the Warsaw University of Technology. In Microsoft Kosycarz is in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility. He coordinates implementation in Poland of the global campaign “Unlimited Potential”. Before joining Microsoft he was a Brand Practice director at leading PR consultancy Burson-Marsteller, board member of Wunderman advertising agency (Young&Rubivam group) and Corporate and Regulatory Affairs director at British-American Tobacco where he was responsible for “Social Reporting” – a dialogue with the company key stakeholders, government affairs and contacts with the media (spokesperson). Kosycarz is a board member of “Responsible Business Forum” (“Forum Odpowiedzialnego Biznesu”) and member of Business Center Club.


ABSTRACT

29 September, Wednesday, 10.15 - 10.35

Plenary session: Internet and deaf children – preventing social exclusion by eliminating Internet threats. Educational resource "3...2...1...Internet!"

Internet influenced the way we communicate, establish and maintain relationships with people, spend our free time and learn. The access to digitalised information resources positively affects our growth opportunities, the quality of education we receive, chances for succeeding on a job market and our functioning in a civil society. Lack of access or lack of skills necessary to use the internet resources result in social exclusion. What is more, the internet involves various threats, from pornography and cyber-bullying to identity theft, extortion, fraud and organised crime.

Opportunities and threats related to the internet are particularly evident in case of children, and especially deaf children.

We have to become aware of the fact that deaf people were not able to use such revolutionary inventions as a telephone for many years. Only the popularisation of texts, e-mail and internet messengers with image sending function changed their situation.

Internet has great potential to eliminate disproportions regarding access to education and job market and the level of involvement in a civic society. Therefore, apart from adapting internet resources to the needs of deaf children, we should protect them against threats. A “3...2...1...Internet!” package developed by Microsoft and Nobody’s Children Foundation, adapted to deaf children's needs, is an example of such actions.