Charity builds online town to tackle child abuse
Published: October 12, 2005
Children’s charity NSPCC has set up a new “online town” to help tackle child abuse, which uses artifical intelligence software to create virtual residents.
Interactive marketing agency DNA designed and built the microsite, called TallkTown, which can be found at www.talktilitstops.org.uk.
The pilot site is part of the charity’s largest ever national call to action, ‘Talk ’til it stops’.
It is the first time the Society has used artificial intelligence to help anyone worried that a child is being abused.
People can turn to the town’s virtual residents for help on what they can do and how they can contribute to ending child cruelty.
The town has four resident characters; street savvy teenager Marcus, primary school teacher Umesh, pub landlady Rachel and neighbour Elena.
www.talktilitstops.org.uk aims to encourage people to talk to each other if they are worried about a child. Talking to a friend or family member can help a person who has concerns about a child work out what they should do and give them the confidence to act.
Talktilitstops.org.uk uses a technology called Lingubots, built by firm Creative Virtual, to enable members of the public to interact directly with one of the four characters.
By asking the residents questions, individuals will be able to start talking to the characters about the difficult subject of child abuse and learn more about the role they can play in ending cruelty to children.
The underlying technology is based on a sophisticated word and phrase pattern recognition system that matches preprogrammed responses in the Lingubot’s knowledge base with questions typed in by users.
As people interact with the Lingubot, analysis tools will be used to expand the characters’ knowledge throughout the campaign.
TalkTown will also help the NSPCC to better understand peoples’ attitudes to child abuse.
Stephanie Hughes, NSPCC new media communications manager said: “Research shows us that three-quarters of sexually abused children don’t tell anyone at the time of the abuse, that’s one reason why it is so important for people to speak out if they are concerned about a child.
“We hope the site will give people the confidence to make a real difference to the lives of abused children suffering in silence.”
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