Sex scandal?
The British government has urged internet service providers (ISPs) to make adult internet users ‘opt in' to access pornography sites.
BT, Virgin Media, Talk Talk and other ISPs have been encouraged by the government to tighten up on web-based porn in a bid to prevent it getting into the hands of children, The Guardian reported.
The idea is to make ISPs automatically block porn sites instead of relying on parents to set up computer parental controls, with adults able to ‘opt in' to access porn websites.
The communications minister, Ed Vaizey is believed to be planning a meet-up with ISPs ‘in the near future' to work out a way of monitoring how porn gets into British homes, as the early sexualisation of children becomes an increasingly pressing and high-profile issue.
Vaizey reportedly told The Sunday Times: "This is a very serious matter. I think it is very important that it's the ISPs that some up with solutions to protect children. I'm hoping they will get their acts together so that we don't have to legislate, but we are keeping an eye on the situation and we will have a new communications bill in the next couple of years."
ISPs have already taken steps to stop people from accidently viewing child porn websites and the government reportedly thinks similar technology could be used to block adult porn sites.
However, ISPs have apparently previously grumbled that such an idea would prove technically tricky and cost a fortune...not to mention possibly getting some of their customers' backs up. Yet The Guardian has reported that ISPs now seem keen to do their bit if faced with a legislative alternative.
A BT spokesperson told the newspaper it already has a ‘clean feed' system in place to block illegal sites, while Virgin Media reportedly said it has already rolled out the technology on its mobile service, but it is up to parents to control how their kids use the internet at home.
TalkTalk's director of strategy and regulation, Andrew Heaney, reportedly said: "Our objective was not to do what the politicians want us but to do what is right for our customers. If other companies aren't going to do it of their own volition, then maybe they should be leant on."
A Conservative MP called Claire Perry reportedly reignited the debate about internet controls in a parliamentary debate last month as she called on the government to force BT, Virgin, TalkTalk, BSkyB, Orange and O2 - which collectively supply 90 percent of British homes with internet access - to rollout an opt-in service.
Perry reportedly said 60 percent of 9-19 year-olds have found porn on the net, while just 15 percent of parents have the technical know-how to use parental controls and filters to block access to unsuitable websites.
