People’s fears about using the internet lessen as their knowledge of the new medium increases. This is the finding of research published by the Independent Television Commission (ITC) gathered from a Citizen’s Forum held last year on the subject of internet regulation (see Citizens’ Forum On Internet Regulation).
At the start of the forum the chief risk associated with the internet was that of children accessing unsuitable material, with 30% acknowledging concern and seeking ways to regulate content. Most participants were initially interested in having controls enforced from outside, but by the end of the event, with increased awareness of regulating software available, more people decided that self-regulation was preferred.
Rating and filtering were the most popular methods for controlling access, as they allow users to make their own choices about suitable material. There was little support for blocking material, whether by an internet service provider or any other agency.
As unsuitable material lessened as a danger during the course of the forum, most participants became more concerned by fraud issues. Worries about credit card abuse, in particular, rose from 18% at the beginning of the forum to 30% at the end.
Overall however many participants were enthusiastic about the possibilities of the internet, including ease of communication, cheap means of accessing more information, and the potential for home shopping.
ITC chief executive, Peter Rogers, welcomed the results: “I was delighted by the enthusiasm and commitment of forum participants. The results are very encouraging, reinforcing the ITC’s view that the way forward is to continue to play a role in informing the public about the ways of protecting children from harmful content which are already available to them, and about new technology which should make this task easier and more effective. The message from this research is that internet users want informed self-regulation and value the work of organizations like the Internet Watch Foundation, ” he said.
Independent Television Commission: 020 7255 3000
