Internet Porn Petition Will Reach Government With 100,000 Signatures

Porn Blocking Petition Reaches 100,000 Signatures

A petition demanded internet providers to block access to hardcore pornography by default will be handed into the Government on Thursday with over 100,000 signatures.

The 'Safetynet' petition, which has been signed by 110,000 people including peers, MPs and religious figures, asks internet service providers such as BT, Sky and Virgin to cut off access to adult content on computers, mobile phones.

Premier Christian Media, the organisation behind the petition, has called on the government to "take decisive action to halt this blatant and relentless assault on young and impressionable minds."

Peter Kerridge, their chief executive, said: "This simple measure would in no way restrict adults from accessing such websites by specific application but would help to protect generations of young people from online pornographers."

The 110,000 signature strong petition seeks to prevent children access to porn

"We demand that they lock this ever-open door to pornography and depravity once and for all."

The petition, which takes the form of a letter to the now-former Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, claims one in three 10-year-olds have "stumbled upon pornography", and that the single largest consumer group of internet porn are children aged 12 to 17.

In June the government launched a 10-week consultation asking parents and businesses for their views on the best way to shield children from internet pornography.

The study is also looking at measures to protect children from other potentially harmful sites such as those which promote suicide, anorexia, gambling, self-harm and violence.

The group are concerned that porn is to easily accessible for the underage

Views on preventing online sexual grooming and cyber-bullying are also being sought, the DfE said when it was launched.

Parents are being asked for their views on three possible systems, including one where users have to "opt in" to see adult sites, and one in which customers are presented with an unavoidable choice about whether they want filters and blocks installed.

The third option would combine the two systems, enabling customers to block some content automatically and be given a choice to unblock them as they wish.

It comes after David Cameron said earlier this year that the Government needed to look at whether internet services or devices might come with a filter on as their default setting or have a combination of a filter and an "active choice" by the customer.

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