This is only a matter of time.
Film-style age ratings could be applied to websites to protect children from harmful and offensive material, Culture Secretary Andy Burnham has said.
Mr Burnham said the government was looking at a number of possible new internet safeguards.
He said some content, such as clips of beheadings, was unacceptable and new standards of decency were needed.
He also plans to negotiate with the US on drawing up international rules for English language websites.
Someone should send this idea to Pres elect Obama. I bet he could churn up at least a ½ million jobs (saved or created) by hiring people to read every web site in the world and give it a rating….
Stand by on this. It is the beginning of the end of free speech on the Web.
At first it thought it was a joke, but I don’t see anyone laughing. This is the last drop of internet censure that anyone can take. Sure, child protection is recommended and sometimes even necessary, but at what cost? Where does protection interfere with our right to free speech? Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
Well, remember that we have Speaker Pelosi wanting to regulate the Internet: http://theanchoressonline.com/2008/07/11/nancy-pelosi-orwell-the-lady-likes-control/
This has been talked about forever on the web. As someone who builds a lot of web sites - I think the rating system that is in place now is just fine - it’s just that hardly anyone uses it.