Rabbitte calls web bosses to porn talks
Minister says he will ‘look into’ opt-in system
PAT Rabbitte has called internet service providers to a meeting this week about potentially creating a web filter system which would prevent children from seeing pornography.
The Communications Minister said that he was willing to ‘look into’ introducing a system similar to the one being proposed by UK prime minister David Cameron.
Mr Cameron wants every householder connected to the internet to have their access to online porn bl ocked unless t hey expressly ask to receive it.
The move came after a campaign was established to protect children from the disturbing effects of accidentally viewing such content online.
But Irish internet service providers have said they oppose an opt-in system here, warning such a move will result in extra costs being passed on to i nternet subscribers.
Speaking at the launch of the Google Silver Surfer Awards yesterday, Mr Rabbitte, when asked if he was still willing to go ahead and look into the merits of an opt-in system, he said: ‘I am. But as we know this is a very complicated area.
‘ There has been a flurry of response because Prime Minister Cameron said what he has said. I have invited in the Irish internet service providers to a meeting on this. We will see what comes out of the discussions.’
He said that despite comments made yesterday by the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland, he has not received any ‘categorical statement’ from the group in relation to the matter.
However, Paul Durrant, of the ISPAI, said: ‘As commercial companies, it is not appropriate that ISPs should decide what content the citizens of Ireland should or should not be able to find on the internet.
‘Websites operated by the adult pornography i ndustry, which overwhelmingly are located in other countries, may be accessed by people choosing to do so in Ireland.
‘ISPs are obliged under European law to freely provide access to all content unless it is illegal. Adult pornography, in general, is not illegal in this country.
‘Those choosing to view this material are doing so by going to these sites of their own volition. ISPs are not like TV stations, we do not decide what content will be presented to our customers.’
Mr Durrant also warned that if the Government was to implement a filtering system, the costs may be shouldered by internet subscribers.
He said: ‘Due to the nature of
The cost will be passed on to user
the technologies underlying the i nternet, default blocking at network level to a reliable degree, is virtually impossible.
‘The blocking methods available to ISPs that don’t cause serious network degradation or massive over-blocking are easy to circumvent.
‘In addition, if it were possible to filter out all adult pornography effectively and securely, there is an added complexity of providing this on one ‘feed’ while also offering an alternative unblocked ‘feed’ to those who sign up for it.
‘ This would undoubtedly involve massive investment and cost that would have to be passed on to Internet subscribers.’
Last week, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children revealed that it is currently getting seven calls a week from children who are distressed after viewing disturbing pornographic content online.
Childline national manager Margie Roe said: ‘We would have had many calls, approximately 200 this year, from children who are upset and worried by something extreme which they either came across by accident, or came across after innocently searching for information about sexuality.
‘The proposal in the UK sounds effective and simple and we are favouring the introduction of a similar opt-in system here. It sounds like a simple way of keeping our children safe online.’
Fine Gael TD Marcella Corcoran Kennedy said: ‘Our children have never had such easy access to the internet and it is crucial to put safeguards in place.’