Request over net porn refused by MP
Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has refused a request from a West MP for the Government to take action to stop children being able to access internet pornography.
Devizes Tory MP Claire Perry raised the issue at a special Commons debate, because as a mother-of-three she knew how difficult it was to keep youngsters from seeing inappropriate material.
But Mr Vaizey made it clear ministers will not take any steps to force internet service providers (ISPs) to tackle the problem.
He said: "We believe in an open, lightly regulated internet. The internet is by and large a force for good, it is central to our lives and to our economy and Government has to be wary about regulating or passing legislation."
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The minister suggested it was for parents to take responsibility for what their children see online, rather than the ISPs that make money from pornography.
Ms Perry wants ISPs to be forced to restrict universal access to pornography by introducing an opt-in system that requires verification that a user is over 18 for access to such material. She said there was successful regulation of British TV channels, cinema screens, high street hoardings and newsagent shelves – and asked why the internet should be any different.
"Access to pornography has a profound and negative effect on our children," she said.
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