Websites to Have Movie-Style Age Rating

Techtree News Staff, Dec 29, 2008 1502 hrs IST

UK's Culture Secretary plans to rein in the internet and censor some websites to ensure "child-safe" content on the web

Describing the internet as quite a dangerous place , UK's Culture Secretary Andy Burnham has proposed censoring websites, among several steps, to rein in the internet.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Burnham said he plans to negotiate with the incoming Barack Obama administration to draw up new international rules for English-language websites.

Burnham's plans include giving film-style age ratings to individual websites and forcing internet service providers (ISPs) to offer internet services where only websites deemed suitable for children are accessible.

Burnham also wants to introduce new industry-wide "take down time" -- that is, when websites are alerted to offensive or harmful content they will have to remove it within a specified time after it is brought to their attention.

He said, There is content that should just not be available to be viewed. That is my view. Absolutely categorical. This is not a campaign against free speech, far from it; it is simply there is a wider public interest at stake when it involves harm to other people. We have got to get better at defining where the public interest lies and being clear about it.

While admitting that the people who created the internet talked very deliberately about creating a space that governments couldn t reach, Burnham said, "I think we are having to revisit that stuff seriously now. It s true across the board in terms of content, harmful content, and copyright. Libel is an emerging issue."

Burnham said he is currently considering a range of new safeguards, which could be policed by internet providers.

Though the proposals are well-intentioned and will go a long way in raising the standards of decency, any move to censor the internet is likely to hit a major roadblock with online advocates of the freedom of the World Wide Web.

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USER COMMENTS

"There is content that should just not be available to be viewed." So true. Its not just child abuse that damages society, its bestiality, mysoginism and all the other nasty things on the net. The government censors films and books, why not the net? Sometimes we have to give up freedoms for the greater good, get rid of all the filth on the net Andy!

by Sally, London, on Dec 30, 2008 11:19 PM, Report abuse Reply

What a waste of time and money. There are currently a number of programs out there such as Net Nanny that already restrict viewing for those that want to protect their children. Why do we need to .gov to keep an eye on us?

by Justabiker, Red Oak, on Dec 29, 2008 08:37 PM, Report abuse Reply

I wonder if there maybe have been some shreud investment into companies that provide partential control software for the web. These seem like a likey choice to provide lists of websites that get an over 18's rating at least. I'll bet the cost of the DNS for websites will go up to fund the cost of each site being categorized, i wonder who's pockets will get filled though...

by Adam, Dublin, on Dec 29, 2008 06:03 PM, Report abuse Reply

Burnham would not anyone being able to say anything libelous about Burnham, would he, and who will decide what is libelous, why Burnham will protect us all! Just rub on a little grease and step into chute!

by cyberbian, boston, on Dec 29, 2008 04:12 PM, Report abuse Reply

This is not going to end well. People need to stop thinking about censoring the internet, and start thinking about monitoring their childrens activities. All this censoring to 'protect the children' is a bunch of hooey. As far as content that "should just not be available to be viewed." is concerned - who is supposed to determine that. And how can you follow up by saying that you're not campaigning against free speech? What part of having a governing body determine what should and shouldn't be viewed isn't a campaign against free speech? This is about personal responsibility. If something offends you - don't go to that site. If your children accessing content offends you - then you need to monitor their usage better. It's not up to the world to raise your children!

by Jon, Carmichael, on Dec 29, 2008 03:58 PM, Report abuse Reply

Protect the internet. Send Andy Burnham back to the nest of satan where he belongs. What a socialist nightmare Britain has become. Protect the internet from scum like Andy Burnham. Yes Andy, I am still free to call you a friggin' "child of satan". Come and get me, Andy. Thank you.

by william getty, clementon, on Dec 29, 2008 03:54 PM, Report abuse Reply

Oh god. Here come the brain police. I would bet that Mr. Andy Burnham has a few skeletons in his closet that he's trying to keep from rattling about the web. It's always the moralizers who have the darkest of secrets. Thanks but no thanks Mr. Burnham, I would rather trust myself in determining what my brain is privy to. As far as my child, well, that's under MY supervision as it should be. Believe me Andy Burnham, those of us who surf are a lot smarter than you think. I'm a big boy, I promise. Sheesh!

by Willis, Bronx, New York, on Dec 29, 2008 03:36 PM, Report abuse Reply