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Written question asked by Margaret Moran (Labour) on Wednesday, 4 June 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 6 June 2008. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Monday, 16 June 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Pornography: Internet

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects of the increase in the number of internet service providers using filters to prevent access to child sexual abuse images.
Answer

The Government understand that 95 per cent. of consumer broadband connections are covered by blocking mechanisms that use the IWF list. Since 2004, blocking of these sites on consumer broadband in the UK has gone from nothing to 95 per cent. thanks to the work carried out by industry and the IWF.The IWF processed more reports in 2007 than in 2006; however fewer reports were confirmed to contain child sexual abuse content which may be an indicator of the effectiveness of the voluntary blocking arrangements put in place by many UK service providers. The blocking initiative is designed to reduce the occasions when innocent internet users might accidentally be exposed to traumatic and unlawful images, diminish the re-victimisation of children by restricting opportunities to view their sexual abuse and disrupt the accessibility and supply of such content to those who may seek out such images.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
477 c683W; 209618
Session
2007-08
Subjects
Internet Offences against children
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk