THE AUSTRALIAN government is being urged to follow the lead of Great Britain in attempting to block access to pornography sites.
Last week, British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would request internet service providers block access to inappropriate sites unless customers opt in.
He said by the end of 2013 “family-friendly” filters would become the default setting for new internet customers, and only account holders would be able to change the settings.
Mr Cameron said overtly sexual images were “corroding childhood”.
Family Voice Australia’s Roslyn Phillips said the Australian government should consider similar measures. “Australia urgently needs mandatory filtering at the ISP level to protect children and maintain a healthy society,” she said. “Parents can install filters on their home computers, but that’s not enough. They cannot protect their children from pornography on unfiltered mobile phones that other children take delight in passing around.”
But the country’s Internet Industry Association (IIA) has rejected calls for Australia to consider stronger internet filtering.
In a statement, the Association said there needs to be careful consideration before any filtering system is implemented.
“A balanced and well considered approached is required when it comes to allowing people to have the freedom to openly choose what they do online, where it is legal to do so, over some form of internet governance, censorship or filtering being imposed by government,” CEO of the IIA Peter Lee said.
“The public typically does not take too kindly to the thought of governments attempting to censor or control their access to the internet.”
But managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby Lyle Shelton said government intervention was essential to protect children from pornography.
“Parents are looking for clear and trustworthy commitments from the government and genuine action to protect children online,” he said.
Last year, the Federal Government abandoned its commitment to implement a national internet filter, instead banning only sites related to child abuse.