Mobile phone ops ban kiddie porn
p2pnet news | Mobiles:- Some European mobile phone operators, including Vodafone, Orange and 3, will soon act as pornography arbiters, blocking sites said to be featuring kiddie porn.
Under a scheme led by the GSM Association (GSMA), customers who, "inadvertently or otherwise, try to access illegal sites will be directed to a police warning notice or be presented with a message saying that the site is not available".
Who decides which sites will be blacklisted?
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), "which shuts down illegal sites," names as many as 1,500 sites featuring child sexual abuse, says Times Online.
IWF members are, "encouraged to block access to these sites voluntarily," says the story, going on:
"The new efforts to obstruct access to sexual abuse sites emerge as Britain’s mobile operators face increasing criticism about their failure to safeguard children from unsuitable content on their handsets.
"In 2004 a scheme was introduced amid much hype to prevent children accessing pornography, gambling and other adult services on the latest mobile phones."
A GSMA spokesman said it’s not making "subjective judgments about material available over the mobile internet," says Times Online, adding:
"We are not policing the net," he said. "That is a different issue. This is about illegal content.”
But, as sites on the IWF list are located and closed down, "the criminals involved in the industry will often open new ones elsewhere on the web," says the story, adding:
"The wide footprint of the mobile phone providers involved in the GSMA project means that 50 countries will be covered."
Also See:
Times Online – Mobile phone firms block child sex websites, February 11, 2008
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