Mobile broadband content may soon use classification system

A content classification system may soon be put in place by the mobile phone industry to prevent children accessing unsuitable websites.

There has been an announcement recently by the mobile phone industry that it may implement a cinema style classification system for mobile broadband content. The Guardian has reported that this will be put in place in an effort to stop children from gaining access to sites that are considered unsuitable using their mobile broadband connection.

Indications have shown from research that over fifty percent of nine year old children have their own mobile phone and are using these phones for internet access and content downloads more often than ever before.

Calls have been made recently by Ofcom, the industry regulator, to improve the current system that decides on the classification of websites that children of different ages are allow to access and view. This is all after the release of a report on the Mobile Broadband group, which is made up of the five main network service providers in the UK. The report reviewed the code of conduct for the group and found that more sophisticated filters should be put in place to pick out unsuitable content.

As it stands, the code prohibits access to site content that is considered to be for over 18s only and will only allow this content to be accessed when the user of the mobile phone undergoes a stringent age verification process that is carried out when they contact their network service provider. Recent suggestions by the Mobile Broadband Group pointed out that an improved filtering system put in place to stop young children from gaining access to unsuitable and inappropriate content using their mobile broadband would be required by most parents.