The vast sums of money made by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) by providing consumers with access to hard core pornography is probably one of the reasons why the industry is so slow in protecting children from watching it too.
But slow progress is being made by the industry in finding a solution to the problem, Marlborough’s MP Claire Perry revealed on the Radio 4 Today programme this morning (Tuesday).
The Tory MP clashed with Nicholas Landsman, secretary-general of the Internet Providers Association) following growing anger over internet porn as a result of the cross-party inquiry she chaired, which issued its report last week.
And Radio 4 interrogator John Humphreys entered the fray too by demanding that Mr Landsman explain why ISPs were still providing access to pornography when the High Court had ordered five internet sites to call a halt.
“Do you accept that the internet is changing?” Humphreys asked Mr Landsman.
“Of course it is changing and it will continue to change,” he replied. “And that’s why the ISPs are very receptive to having these conversations about what is the best way to protect children, but, at the same time, people being able to see content that they want to see that does not break the law.”
Claire Perry interjected: “The time has come when the internet should not be treated differently from any other form of media. We don’t accept it with any other media, telly and mobile phones or anything else.”
“Why should the internet be different?”
Earlier, Mr Landsman said: “We have to look at what is illegal and what is not illegal. It is not down to an ISP to decide what content people in Britain look at.”
Humphreys: “Surely it is wrong for children to have access to hard core pornography. It’s wrong.”
Landsman: “The latest development is that the ISPs have come together and developed a code called Active Choice. What that means is that when consumers contact their ISPs and say they want an internet connection, at that point the ISP will say, ‘Do you want us to put filtering on to protect your children?’”
“At that point the ISPs can send filtering packages, put it on the network level and protect the children. That’s being done. It’s a new development and I think that is going to help find a solution.”
Mrs Perry, who has three children, replied: “First of all the Pirate Bay logo is just like a Blue Peter badge, which is very interesting.”
“What we are seeing with the Pirate Bay decision is a continuum of change that is going on that says actually internet service providers, who don’t forget make £3 billion a year in access fees in selling internet access to British households, have a role to play.”
“When it comes to adult content – and Nicholas is right, the industry is moving and taking it seriously – but we know that 80 per cent of people have an internet connection already.”
“We know that only four of 10 households actually use the sort of filters that are supposed to keep our families safe. And it is just not good enough.”
“And the other thing about this decision of course is the power that big commercial pressure can bring in bring this High Court decision about. Who is speaking up for consumers?”
“Are the ISPs out there actually talking to their consumers because if they were they would find that 66 per cent of people said this weekend that they would like a opt-in filter.”
“We don’t want to ban pornography, we don’t want to make it illegal, that makes many of us very queasy, we’re not Burma or China, but what we want is better protection that preserves consumer choice.”
“And that is where an opt-in solution delivers on both counts.”
John Humphreys pointed out that BT had asked for more time to decide how to obey the High Court decision making access to internet porn illegal.
Mrs Perry: “I’m just interested about the commercial pressures here. I would be interested to know what the revenue looks like from consumers. I imagine that access to illegal file-sharing sites is really a popular thing among consumers, who wouldn’t want something for nothing.”
“And that may be one of the reasons why the ISPs are reluctant to do it.”