U.K. Lawmakers Begin Consultation on Porn Opt-in Plans

LONDON — Members of the British parliament are beginning a 10-week consultation today to decide on whether to adopt a national Internet porn filtering plan.

The country has been under recent pressure from conservative members of parliament, spearheaded by MP Claire Perry, who are pushing for porn filtering in an effort to protect children.

Backers want an opt-in plan that would automatically block adult material unless the user chooses to view the content and directly requests porn from their ISP.

In an earlier statement, Prime Minister David Cameron said, "I want to fully explore every option that might help make children safer — including whether Internet filters should be switched on as the default, so that adult content is blocked unless you decide otherwise."

A discussion paper is the center of the new summit and asks for views on three broad options for the best approach to dealing with online porn. The choices include automatic filtering, "active-choice" that asks users whether they want full access, and "active-choice-plus" that automatically blocks content but then asks if the user wants open access.

The government has already proposed the "active choice" option where new customers are asked whether they want open access to all content.

This method would block adult content, but would ask if users want to access porn, violence and other adult material.

Cameron favors a more robust form of the system that would “nudge” people to block some of the most harmful categories by having some items on the list checked off in advance.

Although the U.K.’s four main ISPs — BT, TalkTalk, Virgin Media and Sky — have already signed up to a code of practice that provides a choice, some ministers think the technology doesn’t provide a foolproof barrier for protecting children.

The UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) that includes 150 organizations is organizing the consultation on the plans.

Children's minister Tim Loughton told the BBC that many parents want to be responsible for what their children access on the Internet but they’re intimidated by technology.

"There is no silver bullet to solve this. No filter can ever be 100 percent foolproof. There is a cottage industry of people, mostly operating outside the UK, continually creating and proliferating 'proxy' websites that provide links to adult and harmful content,” Loughton said.

He added, "Automatic filtering on its own risks lulling parents into a false sense of security and there can never be any substitute for parents taking responsibility for how, when and where their children use the Internet. The answer lies in finding ways to combine technical solutions with better education, information and, if necessary regulation further down the line."

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Justices Alito, Thomas Invoke Victorian-Era Morality Law, Raising Censorship Concerns

Several national publications reported this week on widespread concern among Free Speech advocates after U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas repeatedly invoked during a hearing the infamous segregation-era law the Comstock Act, which was the cornerstone of U.S. censorship of sexual material from the 1870s until the 1970s.

Skinfluential Management's FansFuel Acquires Fanwire

Creator stats and affiliate marketing platform FansFuel has acquired creator account management tool Fanwire.

Nebraska AV Bill Moves Forward Despite Privacy, Free Speech Concerns

Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature has given first-round approval to LB 1092, the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

AEBN Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network (AEBN) is celebrating its 25th year in business this week.

Performers in Meta Blacklisting Lawsuit Seek to Preserve Antitrust Claims

Adult Performance Artists Guild board officers Alana Evans, Kelly Pierce and Ruby have informed a California court that, although they want to drop their lawsuit claiming that Meta conspired with OnlyFans to blacklist rival premium fan platforms’ talent, they may still pursue antitrust claims in the future.

FSC, Co-Plaintiffs to Ask US Supreme Court to Review Constitutionality of Texas Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) and its co-plaintiffs in the challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law have petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to stay its recent decision upholding the law, because they intend to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the law’s constitutionality.

FSC Vows to Fight Florida Age Verification Law

Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has issued a statement vowing to continue fighting Florida’s new age verification law, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday as part of a comprehensive bill targeting minors’ use of social media.

Kansas Republican Aims to Create New Bureaucracy to 'Investigate' Porn Websites

Republican state legislators succeeded Monday in moving forward Kansas’ version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists, despite serious concerns raised by House Democrats about the cost of establishing a new bureaucracy tasked with investigating websites for pornographic content.

SK Intertainment Launches 'Skinfluential Management' Agency, FansFuel Joint Venture

Mr. Skin/Mr. Man parent company SK Intertainment has launched new creator agency Skinfluential Management, as well as a new joint venture with Showbizz Media's creator stats and affiliate marketing platform, FansFuel.

Industry Attorney, Free Speech Champion Clyde DeWitt Passes Away at 75

Noted industry attorney Clyde DeWitt passed away on Friday in Las Vegas at 75, according to friends and colleagues.

Show More