ISPs to offer facility to block access to pornography

[stockhausen]

According to BBC online, The Grauniad and doubtless many other sources, even the Daily Wail, the four major ISPs (BT, Sky, Talk Talk and Virgin ) are to offer subscribers a facility (Parentport) by means of which they can block access to what is deemed inappropriate or pornographic material.

Who makes the decision as to what is inappropriate or pornographic material

Is this blocking in fact a practical proposition


They are also going to crack down on billboards displaying risque images near schools which seems a little easier to police but doesn't cater for billboards displaying risque images NOT near schools, admirable an idea though it undoubtedly is.

 

[Glaucus]

It's been available for donkey years, all they are doing is making it part of the sign up process. Rather than something you requests.

What's wrong with that. It makes it far easier for the bill payer to decide what they want.

 

[LordSplodge]

What's wrong with that. It makes it far easier for the bill payer to decide what they want.

The problem is, like a lot of other things, is it makes parents feel that somebody else can be held responsible for their parenting. Mrs and Mrs. Smith can feel all good because they have passed responsibility for little Johnny's safe Internet access to somebody else.

That's bad parenting and gives a false sense of security. I'm sure children could easily find a way round the block say by using torrents. It's a technological solution to a people problem.

 

[Cosimo]

You could set-up an independent panel like the British Board of Film Classification to deem what is inappropriate. You don’t really need to go that far to identify porn or items of a sexual nature. Just grab a couple of GD members and they could do it for you. I would have thought that parental filters could do this sort of thing anyway. This will just offer a button solution to filtering.

 

[wildman]

The problem is, like a lot of other things, is it makes parents feel that somebody else can be held responsible for their parenting. Mrs and Mrs. Smith can feel all good because they have passed responsibility for little Johnny's safe Internet access to somebody else.

That's bad parenting and gives a false sense of security. I'm sure children could easily find a way round the block say by using torrents. It's a technological solution to a people problem.

Exactly. Technology cannot be used to fix social and or educational issue. This will just increase the frequency of poor parenting and passing the buck. Rather than having your ISP block all the Pron why not simply insist that you child not have a PC in his / her room untill a certain age and they they must use the 'family' PC in the front room.

Thats a parenting decision. But no, now we have it all passed over to BT/Virgin/Sky, so if and when kids find a way around it by using torrents / tunnelling etc, it will now of course be the fault of the ISP, so they will turn around and start blocking / banning torrents from their services etc.

Yes I can see where this is going................. roll on Chinese style oppressive censorship in the UK.

 

[RDM]

The problem is, like a lot of other things, is it makes parents feel that somebody else can be held responsible for their parenting. Mrs and Mrs. Smith can feel all good because they have passed responsibility for little Johnny's safe Internet access to somebody else.

That's bad parenting and gives a false sense of security. I'm sure children could easily find a way round the block say by using torrents. It's a technological solution to a people problem.

Alternatively, if you are a responsible parent, it is just one of the tools available to you to ensure that your child uses the web safely?

I have no real issue with it as it is entirely consentual, you can opt in or out of it as you wish.

 

[wildman]

Alternatively, if you are a responsible parent, it is just one of the tools available to you to ensure that your child uses the web safely?

I have no real issue with it as it is entirely consentual, you can opt in or out of it as you wish.

Alternatively if you are a responsible parent you would be asking yourself is there really any need for a child of say 14 or younger to even have a PC in their bedroom.... really.... why do they need it, why not just make them use a family located PC in a room where someone is always around e.g the Living room

 

[RDM]

Alternatively if you are a responsible parent you would be asking yourself is there really any need for a child of say 14 or younger to even have a PC in their bedroom.... really.... why do they need it, why not just make them use a family located PC in a room where someone is always around e.g the Living room

Homework, social networking, online gaming, that sort of thing?

Just to be clear, I am not advocating it as the only solution to safe web browsing, but it could certainly be a useful tool for parents to choose to use or not.

 

[Neodite]

Alternatively if you are a responsible parent you would be asking yourself is there really any need for a child of say 14 or younger to even have a PC in their bedroom.... really.... why do they need it, why not just make them use a family located PC in a room where someone is always around e.g the Living room

Space
Trust in your kids

Also why should a 14 year old not have a PC? How old is "OK" for someone to have there own computer. Not like it is an exspensive purchase.

Are you saying they should also not have an xbox or TV in there room?

 

[Haggisman]

You don’t really need to go that far to identify porn or items of a sexual nature. Just grab a couple of GD members and they could do it for you.

You haven't seen the random picture thread then?

I have no real issue with it as it is entirely consentual, you can opt in or out of it as you wish.

For how long? What happens when it becomes compulsory? How long before they start blocking other things they don't want you to see? The issue with this is it sets a precedent for censorship of things which are considered unsuitable for whatever arbitrary reason by the powers that be.

 

[wildman]

Space
Trust in your kids

Also why should a 14 year old not have a PC? How old is "OK" for someone to have there own computer. Not like it is an exspensive purchase.

Are you saying they should also not have an xbox or TV in there room?

Ok if you trust your kids why do you need BT to police them then ?

 

[PhillyDee]

Considering that more and more technologies now have internet access, the question isn't about pcs specifically. TV's now have the internet, as do game consoles.

 

[wildman]

Homework, social networking, online gaming, that sort of thing?

Just to be clear, I am not advocating it as the only solution to safe web browsing, but it could certainly be a useful tool for parents to choose to use or not.

They can do all that sort of thing from a family PC located in a central location within the house.

 

[RDM]

For how long? What happens when it becomes compulsory? How long before they start blocking other things they don't want you to see? The issue with this is it sets a precedent for censorship of things which are considered unsuitable for whatever arbitrary reason by the powers that be.

Much like the IWF already do?

All this change does is mean that the various net nanny software already offered by ISPs is now something offered up front. Giving more information to non tech savvy parents on services that are available. I suppose there is an outside chance that this may be the start of some hidden agenda to censor the entire internet but it seems somewhat unlikely.

 

[Cosimo]

You haven't seen the random picture thread then?

They could implement the special GD appropriate control. Parents be warned danger ahead.

 

[RDM]

They can do all that sort of thing from a family PC located in a central location within the house.

They could, but would they, or even you as a parent, want them to? At 14 did you want to live your life in constant view of your parents?

 

[leoncuprar]

This news article caught my attention this morning. I have three boys, aged 7,5 & 2.
Currently we have not allowed any tv/gaming/pc type things in their bedroom, they don't have Nintendo DS either.. much to their disgust! Thankfully at this age they are much happier out on their bikes/scooters/inline skates.

When they get the ability to go online as they get older I will be opting in to Parentport, although this doesn't mean I will pass the buck of responsibility onto my ISP. It is still a parents job to censor what their child have access to.

The problem is other parents won't be so attentive to this type of thing and I'm sure file sharing just with USB sticks will happen all the time at school as they get older.

 

[Neodite]

Ok if you trust your kids why do you need BT to police them then ?

Then you dont opt-in to it in the first place?

It's only a "peace of mind" thing anyway.

There are perfectly legit sites that have popups with porn type stuff on it anyway. Maybe they would prefer to have a "This page is blocked" on that popup than porn?

 

[stockhausen]

... Are you saying they should also not have an xbox or TV in there room?

ABSO_bloody_LUTELY!

They could then read a book and learn how to spell

 

[Neodite]

ABSO_bloody_LUTELY!

They could then read a book and learn how to spell

A book? I dont even......

Ohhhhh you mean a Kindle?