The impact of online sexual content on
children is of great concern and yet research suggests that as many as one in
three under-tens have seen online pornography.
Protecting them from potentially harmful content must be a priority.
The Department for Education has now
launched the promised consultation on how best to protect children from harmful
online content. Ministers are now suggesting
that users should automatically be barred from accessing adult material online unless
they choose to view it.
This is just one of a number of options
that are being consulted upon:
The
Opt-in System in which harmful content - not just
pornography but other harmful material such as suicide, violent, self harm and
pro-anorexia sites – is blocked as a default unless users contact their ISPs
and ask for this to be reversed.
Active
Choice in which new customers buying new devices or
broadband services are asked whether they would like open access to all content
at the point of purchase. However it is
unlikely that this would provide widespread protection across the UK until the
end of this decade by which time a further generation of children will have
been exposed to degrading and damaging material.
Active
Choice-plus is aimed at reaching a compromise and
would see adult content automatically blocked unless users choose to unblock
using a simple action such as removing a tick from a box. This is based on the idea that most people
are likely to accept the suggested option.
This consultation marks a huge step forward
in our campaign to protect children from harmful media and I hope that you will
take the opportunity to have your say in how best to protect the next
generation.
You can view the consultation document here.
The consultation will remain open until 6th September and
Ministers will respond with their favoured option later in the autumn. Watch this space over the next few weeks for
an initiative which will make it easier for you to have your say.
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