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31 Jul 2008
Internet sites that rely on user-generated video content should adopt watershed viewing hours and a cinema-style age rating system to protect children from porn and violence.
An influential committee of MPs also recommended that sites such as YouTube should do more to screen unsuitable content before publication to protect youngsters from the internet's "dark side".
The report, carried out by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said that curbs and closer vetting are required to avoid websites unwittingly publishing pornography, child abuse and other illegal content.
The committee wants postings containing sex, bad language or violence to be blocked before 9pm, and warned that ministers would "act accordingly" unless an industry body is set up to increase self-regulation.
The recommendations come hot on the heels of an alleged gang rape that was viewed 600 times on YouTube before being pulled.
YouTube owner Google said in response to the report that it reviews half of all material flagged by other users as inappropriate within 30 minutes and the majority of other postings within an hour.
"For YouTube we have strict rules on what is allowed, and a system that enables anyone who sees inappropriate content to report it to our 24/7 review team and have it dealt with promptly," the company said in a statement.
"We educate our community on the rules and include a direct link from every YouTube page to make this process as easy as possible for our users.
"Given the volume of content uploaded on our site, we think this is by far the most effective way to make sure that the tiny minority of videos that break the rules come down quickly."
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Do you agree?
18 certificate sensible
Having signed up for restriction of adult content on You Tube I thought I could leave my 8 year old to browse the Lego pages. Unfortunately there are a number of South Park style "Lego Porn" uploads which he very sensibly realised he should not watch and he brought them to my attention. Worrying.
Posted by: Steven Hughes 31 Jul 2008
Blocked before 9pm
What? 9pm in what country? Youtube is international. If its for youtube.co.uk, then whats to stop someone going to youtube.com, or nz.youtube.com, where the time zone are different? It will be impossible to enforce this, and simply shows that whoever thought of this idea, is pretty behind the times when it comes to modern technology.
Posted by: B 31 Jul 2008
Yeah that'll so work!
Like a kid isn't going to be able to figure out how to change their timezone/IP address (proxy) to fool the sytem into letting them see content before the 'watershead' or say they're 18 when they're not! MPs should spend less time crying about issues they don't understand, theatening large businesses which are doing everything they could be reasonably expected to and spend effort on issues that are slightly more pressing and important, like say... anything else!
Posted by: AC 31 Jul 2008
This can't change anything
Firstly, watershed websites rely on the users computer having the correct time. It doesn't take the brightest kid to change the time to 21:01. Secondly, how would this be regulated? Who says what should be watershed? YouTube will face the same volume vs. moderator issues they do already. Unless ministers want to halt technology and take things like YouTube away from the people, they're going to have to accept that content like this cannot be policed by anyone other than the audience themselves.
Posted by: Dan 31 Jul 2008
Oh deary me
.. shakes her head, sadly .. These - sorry, I don't like ad hominem, but it is the only word - these idiots who salaries are paid for from my taxes really can't see any problems with this 'idea' of theirs? Makes one wonder if they are entirely sure what YouTube is. About as in touch with reality as a High Court judge in Rumpole Of The Bailey.
Posted by: Sierra 31 Jul 2008
Oh dear, more MP backed rubbish.
If the MP's didn't realise most of you tubes "inappropriate" content, has a Warning that it contains such content. In fact you have to be a member to do so and then accept that you are about to view such content. Personally I don't see why they are making a fuss?
Posted by: Chris Wilmshurst 31 Jul 2008
i can see
It wont be long before you will have to register as a news paper to post a blog Get a broadcast licence from OFCOM to run a internet radio station or post on You Tube the government obviously have no idea how the internet works as for how You Tube works forget it take six years to train a MP oh forgot you cant train a brainless corporate paid clone.
Posted by: Mike Allen 31 Jul 2008
Who are these dinasours?
Do any of these MP's know what the internet is? do they realise that most under 18's probably have computers in their rooms? 18 Certificates already exist on alot of sites, and if PARENTS are concerned they can install programs like net nanny, or other parental guidance software, that ALREADY EXIST. The problem with the internet is that its distributed, you cant police it, you cant control whats owners put on their sites, the only thing you can control is what is downloaded to your PC - companies have been doing it for years. This is just another case of MP's living in a different world to the rest of society.
Posted by: An Internet Veteran 31 Jul 2008
Concentrate your efforts on something worthwhile!
Yeah Great. YouTube is on the internet available to the whole world. (or at least ones with the freedom to access the internet) so what might 9pm in one country isnt necesarily going to be 9pm in the UK. Ok so we can work arround that one by mapping the requested IP address to the relevant country. Yeah and then it become a challenge for kids, to get arround it a few searches on google and hey presto they can anonymously scour the internet. Do these fools that suggest these things actually engage their brain before publishing the ideas. These are probably the same kinds of idiots that want to increase the price of road tax because of there "imediate need" rather than stopping and thinking of the logical consequences. Rather than trying to restrict stuff, perhaps educate the parents to perhaps but the PC in the family room and make sure your kids are not accessing it without any adults present.
Posted by: Person 31 Jul 2008