Code of Practice to Protect Children from Unsuitable Content
With intent to adopt effective measures to check the exposure of children to harmful material on the web, mobile broadband operators across the
Despite the internet being a major technological tool for knowledge and education, there is always the fear of children being exposed to content that is deemed indecent by modern society’s standards. Complete alertness and watchfulness over children when they’re hooked on to the internet is undesirable. But regulations need to be imposed to block online content that is harmful to minors, just as they are imposed on other forms of electronic media like TV, cinema and computer games.
Mobile broadband operators agreeing to sign the code of practice has come as a welcome change, highlighting the existing indifference of other broadband ISPs who do not think it necessary to get involved in issues concerning decency of content, claiming that they are mere service providers and not filtering agents who should launch a crusade against improper sites. The code’s measures will include the use of technology that will ensure better control over access of commercial adult websites.
A Mobile Broadband Group official stated that the code of practice has been the result of a systematic and exhaustive review, with important contributions from diverse fields. He added that the code will continue to play a major and successful role in future endeavours to regulate online content. However he warned that operators should not rest easy and must continue to modulate their strategies to suit the 3g broadband market’s dynamics.
