Parents say no to automatic porn blocking

Almost eight in ten parents in the UK do not want the government to introduce legislation that would force internet service providers (ISPs) to automatically block online porn according to Talk Talk.

With the Department for Education is about to close a consultation into making ISPs automatically block these websites, Talk Talk said that only two in ten parents it surveyed wanted this measure to protect children from accessing adult websites.

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The ISP highlighted that most said they preferred to be asked to choose whether or not they want to block harmful content on the internet.

Dido Harding, Talk Talk's chief executive, said: "We believe that giving customers an active choice about using controls like HomeSafe is the most effective way to engage them in internet safety and our research shows that our customers feel the same."

The idea of introducing a mandatory ‘opt-in' to legal online adult content was mooted in 2010 by MP Ed Vaisey. Earlier this year Baroness Howe of Idlicote proposed an Online Safety Bill to force ISPs to automatically block adult content online

It is now is being pushed primarily by Conservative MP Clare Perry, backed by a cross party group of MPs and religious organisation Premier Christian Media.

Downing Street agreed to review the issue in May and in June the Department for Education began running a consultation that closes tomorrow.

However, ISPs and rights groups have been scathing in their reaction to the opt-in measure. Despite reports that more than 100,000 people have signed a petition in favour of the opt-in rule, which will be handed to Downing Street tomorrow, Talk Talk said that  "close to 80 per cent of parents surveyed rejected default filtering."

The ISP said people preferred to make their own choice with just 22 per cent in favour of an automatic block on internet pornography. The DfE consultation has also been criticised by the Children's Charities Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS) because the organisation, which is in favour of stringent measures, doesn't feel the consultation has given people a chance to properly air their views.

However, the main concern is that the web-blocking is inappropriate, may catch innocent sites, and lead to mass censorship in future. The Open Rights Group has been urging people to sign a petition against the block.

Jim Killock the ORG's director said the measures wouldn't work: "The arguments are clear and simple. Blocks do plenty of harm, but little good. They block the wrong sites. Creating a national internet censorship filter is a huge temptation to future politicians."