Cameron vows real action on web porn

The Prime Minister has announced new measures to protect children from easy access to online pornography.

However, there have been several false starts on this issue and last week David Cameron was accused of misleading parents.

In his speech today he vowed to make sure pornography will be automatically blocked on new broadband internet accounts – with the option to remove the filter.

Prompted

He also pledged action for existing users, saying the main internet providers will contact customers with an “unavoidable decision about whether or not to install family friendly content filters”.

This would happen by the end of next year, Mr Cameron added, saying, “there will be no escaping the decision, no ‘remind me later'”.

The Prime Minister continued: “If adults don’t want these filters – that’s their decision.

“But for the many parents who would like to be prompted or reminded, they’ll get that reminder, and they’ll be shown very clearly how to put on family friendly filters.”

Action

He also said that for new broadband accounts the main internet companies – TalkTalk, Virgin, Sky and BT – have made sure that filters will work across all connected devices, such as tablet computers.

David Cameron also addressed the issue of public Wi-Fi – internet in areas such as coffee shops and shopping centres – saying action would be taken by the end of next month.

He said an agreement had been reached with the major companies in the sector to apply “family-friendly filters” on the Wi-Fi network, “wherever children are likely to be present”.

He said Government was “keen to introduce a ‘Family Friendly Wi-Fi’ symbol” which companies can use to show customers their Wi-Fi is filtered.

Misleading

Last week the Prime Minister faced criticism after a leaked letter showed he was asking web firms to rebrand their safety settings without changing how they work.

The request was described as “misleading and potentially harmful”.

Earlier this year ministers were accused of failing to follow through on protecting children from online pornography, after a leaked document said work “can be scaled back”.

In 2012 David Cameron said the Government would make sure internet companies prompted parents to install filters.

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