Skip to main content

Community Relations: Internet

Volume 491: debated on Tuesday 21 April 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which companies providing internet filtering products her Department has worked with to strengthen protection against online material which promotes violent extremism; and what the outcome has been of such work. (263166)

The Home Office is working with a range of companies that provide filtering and/or parental control software which offer products that allow users such as parents and schools to voluntarily restrict access to certain categories of material that may be harmful or offensive. Our engagement with the filtering industry is an ongoing process and I do not propose to provide a list of those we have worked with to date. Some companies, such as Smoothwall, have chosen to announce their participation in this work.

These companies are now able to receive from the Home Office details of material which we consider to be unlawful under the Terrorism Act 2006 in order to enhance the protection their products offer against terrorist material.

These products offer end-users a tool to make the internet a safer place for children and young people.