Many children are “easily accessing online pornography” and are suffering as a result, a cross-party parliamentary inquiry has found.
According to the inquiry, children’s attitudes to sex, relationships and body image are all being negatively affected by seeing internet pornography.
Studies noted in the inquiry’s report suggested four out of five children aged 14-16 access online pornography at home.
Protect
The report called for the Government to consider an “opt-in” filtering system for all internet accounts in the UK – which would mean consumers would have to choose to receive adult content.
Speaking on Wednesday the Prime Minister said: “As a parent and as a politician, I am keen that we should help to protect people from such material.”
He added that he had “got together” some companies to “look at offering a choice of blocking all adult and age-restricted content on their home internet”.
Worrying
Conservative MP Claire Perry, who chaired the inquiry, said its results were “hugely worrying”.
She commented that while “parents should be responsible for their children’s online safety”, people find it difficult to put filters on the many internet-enabled devices in their homes.
Miss Perry commented that it was time internet service providers took on “more of the responsibility to keep children safe”.
Up-to-date
The inquiry noted “almost six out of ten children can access the internet without filters in their homes”.
It said that parents “lack internet safety education and up-to-date information”.
It also commented that while government regulation of the internet should “always be done with the lightest touch”, it should prepare backup regulations if the internet industry fails to do enough.
Extreme
Last year a national newspaper columnist warned that widespread exposure to “crude and debasing” pornography is affecting everyone in society.
Sandra Parsons cautioned that “so many men, including young boys” are using modern technology to access “vile images of extreme porn”.
And she said that this imagery is “infecting all ages, all strata of society”.