As part of Microsoft Latin America's commitment to the infant community, Microsoft has agreed a partnership with the Ricky Martin Foundation to promote children's safety in their activities on the web. The non- profit organization and the company will develop educational strategies and activities focused on online child safety in countries in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Other companies and entities will be invited to take part in this initiative.

Microsoft recognizes the importance of promoting online child safety and to this end is brings together family members, educators, governments and organizations, such as the Ricky Martin Foundation, in order to work in cooperation. “Without a doubt, having the Ricky Martin Foundation on board will allow us to achieve an important goal, which is to offer children and young people a safer environment when using the Internet”, said Carolina Aranha, security manager at Microsoft for Latin America.

Microsoft's responsibility to children's online safety is contained in three of the company's important focal points that take in education, technology, and governmental partnerships. In the field of education, for example, the company supplies practical tools to adults, educators, and community leaders, as well as training for public defense organs in the pursuit of online criminals. Microsoft develops software and online tools that help protect young users from potentially harmful content.

The company has also set up governmental partnerships - as well as the training of defense bodies - to cooperate with investigations into pedophilia on the Internet and the support for legislation, in conjunction with non-governmental organizations, in the creation of tough penalties for the criminals. The importance of this work can be shown in numbers. In Brazil the Federal Police gets from 10 to 15 reports a day on sites and communities that are showing sexual material involving children.

From January 2000 to June 2005, 353 inquiries were opened up into child pornography on the Internet. “We have come to Brazil to promote this important alliance which aims to guarantee children's online safety. Through the campaign Navega Protegido we offer practical tools to parents, educators, and children on how to protect against pedophilia and child pornography, amongst other risks. Educating is the most important phase of our battle, so that children can use the wonderful Internet tool as a platform for knowledge and cultural exchange”, stressed Ricky Martin, president of the association that holds his name.

The singer, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, underlined the initial impact of this alliance, where 45,000 schools in 2006 will get free educational videos on the theme, which will be distributed in three languages. The Ricky Martin Foundation is dedicated to the promotion of the quality of life of children and their families, through a series of social programs and projects concentrated on three areas: social justice, education, and health.