Government calls for better porn filters to protect children

A report by British Members of Parliament has said more needs to be done by Internet Service Providers to stop children accessing harmful content on the Internet. The report found that a wide range of pornographic and other undesirable content could easily be accessed by children.

Traditional Internet filters installed on computers or configured in operating systems are becoming less effective as children now have access to the Internet on a wide range of mobile devices. This, combined with the lack of technical knowledge some parents have, means ISPs should take responsibility for content filtering, say MPs. It wants Internet filtering to be switched on by default for all users.

Source: BBC News article

Questions

1. Define the term ‘ISP’. [2 marks]
2. Describe two methods a filter can use to block inappropriate web content. [4 marks]
3. Explain the types of content that some users may wish to have blocked, apart from pornography. [6 marks]
4. To what extent is it appropriate to require ISPs to filter Internet connections by default? [8 marks]