Fury over opt-in for adult sites
Blocking websites hosting adult content won't protect children, warn ISPs.
A government plan to force internet service providers (ISPs) to block websites that host adult material so people would have to opt-in if they wanted access has caused uproar.
ISPs said the sheer volume of adult material and the way it can be accessed makes a blanket ban almost technically impossible. They also highlighted that having to introduce age-verification technology would be expensive.
Privacy and civil rights groups said that the proposals are excessively restrictive and a breach of data protection and human rights laws.
Both groups said that the proposals will not meet the objective of protecting children.
Alex Hanff, of Privacy International, said: "This is censorship by the back door. lust who decides what is pornographic and not culture? Sites that are perfectly acceptable to most people may get blocked.
"Children will always be curious about sex and find ways to bypass controls. It is the parents' responsibility to set controls and keep an eye on what their children access.
"Forcing people to opt in is also a serious breach of the E.U's data protection and privacy laws."
The call to regulate access to internet pornography using age-verification measures was raised last month by Minister for Culture Ed Vaizey.
"This is a very serious matter. I think it is very important that it's the internet service providers that come up with solutions to protect children.
"I'm hoping they will get their acts together so 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," said Mr Vaizey.
Rut Nicholas I.ansman, secretary general of Internet Services Providers' Association (Ispa), said ISPs already do a lot by providing parental control tools. They also block illegal sites such as those hosting images of child abuse.
"If the Government feels the need to improve the internet literacy of parents, Ispa will be at the forefront of disseminating the information through its members," he said.
A representative for the Department of Business, Skills and Innovation said there will be further debate with ISPs on introducing age verification.
"There is no confirmed date yet and we are currently in the process of setting this up," he said.
Source: Computer Active
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