All ISPs urged to block abuse sites

Children's charities have called on ISPs that are failing to take steps to block images containing child sex abuse to take immediate steps to do so.

The government had asked ISPs to block illegal websites containing illegal images by the end of 2007.

However, a number of ISPs have failed to act. One such ISP, Zen Internet, said in a statement: "We have not yet implemented the IWF's recommended system because we have concerns over its effectiveness."

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), an online watchdog, informs ISPs and the public of illegal content on the web and regularly flags websites which contain harmful content.

At the end of last year the IWF was at the centre of protest over blacklisting an album cover on Wikipedia in the UK. The objection was later withdrawn.

Some smaller ISPs have expressed concern about the cost of putting a system in place that blocks websites containing illegal images.

Talk Internet, an ISP, has implemented what it said was a relatively inexpensive technology called the NetClean WhiteBox as a means to block illegal images.

Simon Jones, Talk's managing director, said: "Contrary to popular opinion even small and medium-sized ISPs can play their part in combating access to child sexual abuse images. No one wants illegal activity on their network."

John Carr, secretary of the Children's Charities' Coalition for Internet Safety, said: "Dealing with child sexual abuse images on the internet is not an optional extra. It's part of the cost of doing business for a modern ISP.”

The Coalition estimates that more than 700,000 households in the UK can still get uninterrupted and easy access to illegal child abuse image sites.

Carr added that if ISPs wanted to remain self-regulated then dealing with illegal images is the "acid test".