Tiscali to sell new child safety tool

Crisp "anti-grooming" service scans instant-messaging conversations

Tiscali will soon offer a new "anti-grooming" tool to protect children from online predators.

The internet service provider has teamed up with online safety company Crisp to offer software that monitors instant-messaging conversations and alerts a parent should it spots an inappropriate online chat.

Described by Crisp as an "anti grooming engine", the software checks each instant-message conversation for sexual content or aggression. It also monitors the length of sentences typed, the typing speed and the use of punctuation and vocabulary. Crisp then claims to compare the information it gathers against " detailed profiles of real-life groomers".

If it detects a potentially inappropriate conversation the software alerts a parent via email or text message.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre said the software could play a part in “reassuring” parents but feels other protection methods could be more valuable. A representative told Computeractive: "The most effective way to protect children online is to educate and empower them to use new technologies safely."

Crisp’s software will be available to download from the Tiscali website from March. It will cost £3.50 a month, with no minimum contract, or £42 per year.