Four leading Internet service providers will offer customers the option to block adult content at the point of subscription.

BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin all offer parental control software that enables parents to keep their children away from adult content, violence and other inappropriate content. However, as only a minority of parents use the web filters, a new measure will be introduced to give parents more control.

Starting in 2012, all four leading Internet service providers will make sure that anyone signing up to a new broadband deal will have to choose whether or not they want to turn on parental control software, so that access to certain websites is blocked.

Concerns over sexualisation of children
The new measure is introduced as a result of the rising concerns regarding the increasing sexualisation of children through the media, following The Bailey report, which was published earlier this year by the Christian charity Mothers’ Union.

The four ISPs said in a statement that they "have worked closely with government and a range of stakeholders to swiftly introduce measures addressing recommendations set out in the Bailey Report."

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TalkTalk’s HomeSafe service
According to TalkTalk, 150.000 customers have so far opted in to their HomeSafe service, which blocks a variety of websites, including suicide and self harm, violence and weapons, dating sites, gambling sites and filesharing. Parents have control over which sites are blocked by including them on a blacklist.

As well as this, TalkTalk offers network-level filtering software, which means that all devices used on the home Internet connection are protected, including laptops, tablet computers and smartphones.

No fool proof solution
Critics have argued that web filters is not an ideal solution, as they sometimes block access to innocent websites and never will be able to shield people from all inappropriate sites.

"It's worth noting that those determined to get around a filter will find a way of doing so, often quite trivially," said Sebastien Lahtinen from Think Broadband to the BBC.

As well as this, children may access the Internet from a variety of devices, and there are certainly ways to do so without logging on to the home Internet connection.

The most important filter is in our minds
For this reason, it’s important to remember that the most important filter isn’t on your computer, but in the heart and the mind of the user. As parents, the most important task of all is to create a healthy attitude in our children, to regularly talk to them about media use in general, and to agree on a set of rules that are to be followed.

Sources:

BBC News
Internet providers offer parents bar on porn (video)

Internet providers offer parents bar on porn (article)

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