UK CALLING FOR ALL ISPs TO BLOCK CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE ON THE INTERNET Although the majority of larger ISPs have implemented CleanFeed systems to block access to known child sexual abuse imagery (IWF blacklist) there is growing frustration and pressure to ensure the remaining smaller ISPs implement filtering of CSAI. UK ISPs were encouraged to implement filtering CSAI by the end of 2007 leading to current pressure for government to enforce this. Filtering of CSAI is available to smaller UK ISPs through the Watchdog International hosted NetClean WhiteBox service. Read below the Press Release from the Children's charities' Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS). For more information read about Talk Internet UK. PRESS RELEASE: Charities call for action on child abuse sites Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:52am GMT LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of households still have access to child abuse websites on the Internet despite government promises to block them, children's charities said on Monday. The Children's Charities' Coalition on Internet Safety (CHIS), whose members include Barnardo's, Action for Children, and the NSPCC, said it was concerned that some Internet Service Providers still allowed broadband access to abuse sites. "Allowing this loophole helps to feed the appalling trade in images which feature real children being seriously sexually assaulted," said Zoe Hilton, from the NSPCC who was speaking on behalf of CHIS. "We now need decisive action from the government to ensure the Internet Service Providers which are still refusing to block this foul material are forced to fall into line." In 2006, the Home Office said it was government policy that all Britain's ISPs should have a blocking mechanism in place to prevent child abuse images being seen, by the end of 2007. Last June, the government said 95 percent of households were covered but in a parliamentary answer earlier this month, Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said there had been no movement on the final 5 percent. Hilton said that meant more than 700,000 homes could still get access to illegal child abuse sites. In Campbell's statement, he said the government was still looking at ways of making progress with the remaining ISPs. (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Steve Addison) |
