Internet: Effect of Blocking Child Abuse Images
Margaret Moran MP: 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. [209618]
Vernon Coaker MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Crime Reduction: 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.
Source: Hansard 16 June 2008
*The IWF uses the term child sexual abuse content to accurately reflect the gravity of the images we deal with. Please note that "child pornography", "child porn" and "kiddie porn" are not acceptable terms. The use of such language acts to legitimise images which are not pornography, rather, they are permanent records of children being sexually exploited and as such should be referred to as child sexual abuse images. If you see such content online please report them to the IWF.
Page Created: Fri, July 4th, 2008
Page Modified: Mon, June 22nd, 2009
